Despite heavy snows, drought conditions still persist

Despite recent heavy snows and rains, the National Weather Service in Wakefield, Virginia, reports that Accomack County is continuing to experience moderate drought conditions(D1) and Northampton County remains abnormally dry(D0)

Over the past 30 days, our area has received above-normal precipitation, leading to improvements in drought severity. Stream flow for Northampton and most of Accomack County is now indicated as normal. However, stream flow does remain much below normal for northern Accomack County and the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

The Commonwealth of Virginia maintains a drought watch for the Eastern Shore, while Maryland continues its drought warning for the region. Forecasts predict limited precipitation over the next seven days, with most locations expecting around a half inch of rainfall as a line of storms approaches our area Wednesday. Long-term projections suggest above normal temperatures are favored with an equal chance of precipitation amounts being above or below normal from March 1st through the end of May, the National Weather Service said. Because of this, drought conditions are  expected to persist through the end of May for the Eastern Shore of Virginia and the lower Maryland Eastern Shore.

Residents and stakeholders in Accomack and Northampton counties are advised to continue water conservation efforts and stay informed about local drought advisories.