It’s very dry. And it’s about to get worse.

Alabama's State Wildflower showing stress from the drought
Alabama’s State Wildflower the Oak-leaf Hydrangia showing stress from the drought

Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Blount counties have been designated as extreme drought areas by the  USDA’s U.S. Drought Monitor.

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Two consecutive months of extremely warm weather in the low to mid 90s and little or no rain in the month of September has caused parks and soccer fields to prematurely brown and gardens to wilt.

“Our ecoscape gardens which are very drought resistant and “hardy”, are very stressed right now,” stated Road Hazelhoff, director of the Southern Environmental Center at Birmingham Southern College.

The National Forest Service in Alabama have already  issued campfire restrictions and a fireworks ban.

Last week, the Birmingham Water Works Board issued a Drought Advisory, asking customers to begin conservation measures.

No rain is predicted for the next 10 days.  Expect drought conditions to worsen in the month of October.

 

Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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