Biz Buzz

It’s been a while since we did a drought update, and with the rain making an appearance in NeMiss today, there’s no time like the present to fill you in on our water situation.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor that was released today, 70.5 percent of the state is abnormally dry. In addition, 6.1 percent of the state is in a D1 moderate drought. The area in the moderate drought is mostly confined to the northeastern edge of the state (Tishomingo south to Kemper County).

And there’s a slight sliver of D2 severe drought along the eastern edge of Itawamba and Monroe counties.

Click here for the map.

The drought across Northeast Mississippi is retreating, according to today’s U.S. Drought Monitor.

As of July 3, 2.7 percent of the state is in a D4 exceptional drought, the most severe drought classification. The drought covers Monroe, Lowndes, Noxubee and Kemper counties.

The percentage is drastically lower than the June 19 report, in which 18.8 percent of the state was under a D4 drought. The area covered 19 counties in northeast and east central Mississippi.

Even our neighbor to the east is getting a little bit of relief. However, Alabama still has a long way to go with 41.9 percent of the state in a D4 drought.

Check out tomorrow’s paper for more about the drought and the USDA’s thoughts on it.

The new U.S. Drought Monitor is out and — surprise, surprise — more of Mississippi is considered to be under a D4 exceptional drought, the most severe drought classification available.

As of June 19, 18.8 percent of the state is under an exceptional drought. The number jumped way up from 8.6 percent the previous week.

Now, the D4 drought includes 19 counties instead of six. The counties now under a D4 drought are Itawamba, Monroe, Chickasaw, Clay, Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Choctaw, Noxubee, Winston, Attala, Kemper, Neshoba, Leake, Lauderdale, Newton, Scott, Clarke, Jasper and Smith.

Lee County and its neighors are in a D3 extreme drought. Check out the map for more details.

However, our neighbor state to the east is really feeling the pinch. While 18.8 percent of our state is in an exceptional drought, 42.7 percent of Alabama is considered to be under the most severe drought possible.