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Drought Over For Fairfield County, But Dry Conditions Continue

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- The drought that has impacted Fairfield County since last summer is over, though much of the county continues to see abnormally dry conditions.

The drought that has plagued Fairfield County for much of the past year is over, though most of the county is still experiencing abnormally dry conditions.

The drought that has plagued Fairfield County for much of the past year is over, though most of the county is still experiencing abnormally dry conditions.

Photo Credit: wikiepedai

According to the United States Drought Monitor located at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 92.69 percent of Fairfield County was experiencing abnormally dry conditions as of May 2. This is an improvement over much of the past year, when most of the county saw moderate or severe drought conditions.

The county first began seeing signs of moderate drought in June, and by July 26, the entire county was under moderate drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Between October and January, 100 percent of the county experienced severe drought conditions. During this time the state issued drought warnings and residents in several towns were asked to limit how much water they used in their homes, as well how much they watered their lawns or washed their cars. Rivers and streams were below normal, as were groundwater levels.

Between November and January, as much as a third of the county saw extreme drought conditions.

Drought conditions have begun to ease up since January. By mid-March, the entire county was still under moderate drought conditions, but less than 20 percent was under severe drought conditions. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, on April 11 no part of the county was still seeing severe drought conditions, and only 56.25 percent of the county saw moderate drought conditions. As of April 25, the drought was over across Fairfield County.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, much of the northeast region of the country "has been characterized by short-term wetness and long-term dryness, and lingering impacts from the long term are still influencing the drought depiction in the region. As the impacts slowly respond, small improvements are being made, but the elimination of dryness and drought in the region will be slow."

Though Fairfield County is out of the woods for now, about a quarter of Connecticut is still experiencing some moderate drought conditions as of May 2. Large sections of Hartford County and Litchfield County, and smaller areas of New Haven, Middlesex and New London Counties were under some moderate drought conditions.

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