The US is currently facing a serious heatwave, but one state is unique in receiving a warning for widespread droughts across the whole state.
Every county in the state of Virginia either has a drought-watch warning or must prepare for conditions of low precipitation. This is likely to cause rare and serious issues for local agriculture and water supply.
States Across US Facing Drought
Virginia is not the only state facing drought conditions right now, with states across the country on alert.
In fact, 10% of the 48 mainland states have a form of drought or low-precipitation warning.
Large Drop in Precipitation Levels
Virginia is facing a huge reduction in precipitation levels in June compared to averages from previous years.
The usual level of precipitation for June averages at around 3 inches of precipitation, but Virginia is currently headed for only 0.68 inches, as measured from equipment at Richmond International Airport.
Imperfect Storm
The lower-than-average precipitation levels are combining with higher-than-usual temperatures to increased deleterious effect.
The combination means that the soil has rapidly dried, and the state is experiencing a flash drought.
What is a Flash Drought?
Flash droughts can be thought of as the opposite of flash floods and carry their own set of unique dangers.
The rapid onset of dry conditions means that a place can be at a higher risk of wildfires, public water shortages and crop failures.
Thirsty Land
Virginia would need several days of steady rain in order to escape the drought conditions.
Virginians can also reduce their water usage by watering their gardens less, conserving water in the home and drying their clothes outside rather than in a dryer.
Serious Threat to Local Agriculture
The flash drought is worrying farmers across the state, who warn that Virginia may be facing crop failures.
“It’s been a dust bowl. I don’t dare plant the seed because it’s not going to come up,” says Robert Vaughn, owner of Vaughn Farms to 10Wavy News.
First Crop Failure in a Decade
The drought conditions are especially bad for the Virginia farmland, which faces its first crop failures for a decade.
Vaughn says: “There are going to be crop failures down here this year, and it’s something we haven’t seen in 8 or 10 years.”
Virginia a Major US Producer
Virginia is an important agricultural state, with 41500 farms producing a variety of staple products, including corn, wheat and soybeans.
Agricultural land across Virginia covers 7.7 million acres and the state is one of the top producers of soybeans in the country.
Heat Waves Across the US
Aside from droughts, heatwaves are affecting Americans across the country this week.
As much as 21% of Americans, which translates to a population of around 70.2 million, could face dangerous heat waves.
