Little Relief From Drought Expected This Summer

Official projections released Friday for the longterm forecast for the remainder of the Summer indicate there is likely little hope for a lessening of the drought that has persisted in the Upstate. 

Both Greenville and Pickens Counties remain in a "moderate" drought status, as classified by the South Carolina Climatology Office. 

Chris Horne, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Greenville, said short of a tropical system affecting the Carolinas, there will be little chance widespread rainfall that will be adequate to put a dent in the drought. 

"Usually South Carolina's drought status doesn't change in the Summer," Horne said. "If it does, it gets worse.

"Thunderstorms are going provide some localized recharges, but again, during the warm season, without tropical moisture, that won't lessen our drought." 

Horne said the recently-released models for July, August and September indicate a high probability for average rainfall for this time of year in Greenville and Pickens Counties, but also higher probabilities for higher-than-normal temperatures. 

Most areas of Pickens and Greenville Counties average roughly three to four inches per month, he added. 

"You've got greater than even money chance that we'll have higher than normal temperatures this Summer" Horne said.