Drought consuming Western Kentucky after 2011 record deluge
2011 was the wettest year on record in Kentucky since records began 117 years ago, causing severe flooding, especially in western part of the state in April and May. But those same parts are currently in drought, meteorologists said.
“Like flooding, drought is a recurrent feature of Kentucky’s climate,” said Dr. Stuart Foster, state climatologist. “Last year was the wettest year on record across Kentucky going back to 1895. Now, the same areas of the state that experienced widespread flooding last spring are in drought.”
The contrast between 2011 and 2012 precipitation totals from some Kentucky Mesonet stations highlights the extremes of Kentucky’s climate.
Totals of about 17 to 24 inches were recorded in April and May last year in eight western Kentucky counties, while this year those same counties received between 1.44 and 5.80 inches of rain.
County 2011 (2012)
Fulton 21.55 (1.44)
Trigg 21.67 (2.18)
Caldwell 23.78 (2.46)
Graves 20.52 (2.82)
Calloway 21.06 (3.18)
Clinton 16.79 (3.56)
Marshall 24.17 (3.87)
Cumberland 19.13 (5.80)
Other Global Disasters, Significant Events
- Colorado. “Extreme drought conditions are expanding in northwest Colorado, covering most of Garfield, Rio Blanco, and Routt counties as well as portions of Moffat, Pitkin, and Mesa counties — encompassing about 10 percent of the state in a region with critical watersheds for downstream water users,” said a report.
- With the snowpack gone, streamflows would be well below average this year, forecasters said.
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