A month ago, it was too dry. Today, for farmers at least, it’s a tad too wet.
Still, rainfall from mid to late April has helped propel Alamance County from drought conditions to a situation that’s a little more manageable heading into May.
When April started, the county was experiencing moderate drought conditions but shifted to abnormally dry as the month progressed and more rain fell. So far, the county has recorded 2.42 inches of rainfall for April with more rain on the way Thursday. The Burlington area’s average is 3.24 inches.
Ryan Boyles, of the State Climate Office of N.C., said on Monday that stream and ground water levels in the Triad and Triangle are near normal. Fifty counties statewide are classified as having abnormally dry conditions, while 13 counties are listed as having moderate drought conditions, according to the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council.
The month of January was mostly dry for the Piedmont but February, March and April proved to be wetter months, making up for early deficits.
There were no immediate severe drought concerns for state officials, Boyles said. Boyles said the spring and summer months are more difficult to forecast rainfall totals. If a tropical storm were to pass through the region this summer, it would help alleviate any drought conditions that might persist.
“It would change the hydrology very quickly,” Boyles said.
Roger Cobb, N.C Cooperative Extension director of Alamance County, said on Monday that farmers reported this week that most fields in the county are too wet to begin planting corn and transplanting tobacco.
“Some of them can’t get into the fields,” Cobb said.
Cobb said recent rainfall helped replenish the county’s ponds and streams. He also said the critical planting season begins in May and hopes the county will continue to receive at least average amounts of rainfall to head off any potential drought conditions later this year.
“The rainfall has been good from an agricultural standpoint,” he said.
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