COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina experts are warning of agricultural impacts and heightened risk for forest fires after a state drought was declared on November 6.
The state was declared drought-free after rain from Tropical Storm Helene at the end of September, with fields overwatered and several areas flooded.
Then October saw next to no rain—with the station at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport tying for it’s driest October on record
"It really needed a couple of weeks of dry weather following Helene's heavy rain, so that the flood waters could subside and agricultural fields could dry out. But we didn't need four to five weeks of no rain combined with the above normal temperatures," said Hope Mizzell, state climatologist with the Department of Natural Resources.
The state drought was declared shortly before last week's heavy rain, which saw upwards of 10 inches of rain in some parts of the state. Mizzell says it's too early to tell whether or not that will alleviate the drought, but some areas are still seeing impacts.
"We're hopeful that we will receive enough rain to recharge our water resources. If we don't, then that would be more of a concern as we go into the next growing season or into next spring," said Mizzell.
The Department of Environmental Services reported no drinking water supply issues, but the state Department of Agriculture says farms have been impacted.
"Grazing animals are suffering in these conditions due to lack of quality forages, and lack of the ability to plant any cool-season forages," said Agriculture Outreach Director Sam Quinney. “With hay crops being affected earlier this year by a flash drought, and now lack of planting abilities for cool-season forages, producers will be forced to sell animals due to the lack of available forages for the winter season. We continue to pray for rain as the ag community not only needs it but relies on it for the future of their operations.”
The Forestry Commission is preparing for a heightened risk of wildfires, which is exacerbated by the drought.
"If you get a few days that rain, it's usually not that bad. But if you get extended periods, like we saw in October, where you have pretty much a whole month with no rain, those fuels tend to get dry," said Darryl Jones, Forest Protection Chief.
He says as the leaves continue to dry up and fall, the Commission is monitoring those factors.
"That helps us decide how many people firefighters we have on duty every day, how many planes we have up in the air, because that's one way we find wildfires and support firefighting on the ground," added Jones.
While the past week's rainfall might have alleviated issues in parts of the state, we are still under a drought level. The S.C. Drought Response Committee will meet again to reevaluate the drought conditions on December 4.