GRAND RAPIDS, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — We’ve continued to monitor increasing drought conditions during the past couple of months, with some areas of the state in the severe drought category.
An update was released Thursday, and not much has changed. All of Allegan, Kent, and Ottawa counties remain in a severe drought as well as portions of Barry, Eaton, Kalamazoo, and Van Buren counties. Most of the lower peninsula remains in a moderate drought.
The U.S.D.A. reports 62% of the state is short to very short in topsoil moisture. Last week’s heat and breezy conditions further aggravated things, even though we did pick up 0.4 of an inch of rain on average.
Many places have received as low as 10% of average May rainfall, the weeks ahead don’t hold promise for a big moisture recharge.
And the Michigan DNR has just announced that they will temporarily stop doing prescribed burns due to the conditions. The burns are done to enhance the land, restore habitat and kill off invasive species.
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