CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Parts of 15 West Virginia counties are considered in extreme drought conditions but the latest U.S. Drought Monitor does note some improvement.
It’s the driest in sections of Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, Clay, Braxton, Nicholas, Webster, Upshur, Randolph, Pocahontas, Tucker, Grant, Mineral, Hardy and Hampshire counties.
The designation covers all of Marshall County and nearly all of Webster County while smaller sections of the other 13 counties.
Another large part of the state, roughly from the Eastern Panhandle to the Kanawha Valley is under the severe drought designation.
A handful of counties have no drought designation this week meaning they’ve had sufficient rainfall including parts of Wood, Ritchie, Wirt, Jackson, Mason, Cabell and Wayne counties.
According to the monitor’s summary released Thursday, “recent rainfall amounts in northern and western West Virginia were much more beneficial, providing a boost to streamflow and soil moisture and leading to widespread improvement in ongoing drought and abnormal dryness. Localized 2-category improvements occurred in western West Virginia where some of the heaviest rain fell. Farther south in West Virginia, severe and extreme drought continued, as this week’s rains were not enough to improve conditions.”