Over 3 million in Maryland still facing drought despite recent rain
Despite a recent stretch of rain, large swaths of Maryland remain parched, with over 3 million residents living in areas affected by drought, according to the latest federal Drought Monitor.
Parts of Baltimore, Carroll and Harford counties continue to experience unseasonably dry conditions. Liberty Reservoir — a major source of drinking water for the region — has dropped to its lowest level in nearly 20 years, prompting the Baltimore Department of Public Works earlier this month to issue voluntary water restrictions for the city and surrounding counties.
Statewide, 43% of Maryland is experiencing moderate drought, while 24.6% is considered abnormally dry, according to drought data released Thursday. Weather experts say several factors are contributing to the drought, including persistent wind patterns and a lackluster winter snowfall.
'This past spring has been windy with prevailing winds from the west and northwest. Any cold fronts tend to lose moisture heading through,' AccuWeather lead long-range expert Paul Pastelok said in an email. 'In addition, it has been a very windy spring and any rain that falls runs off or dries out before it's absorbed. Also, it was not a very snowy winter. Snow in the winter helps the deeper layers of soil stay moist in the spring, and helps with deeper root systems. 12.7 inches of snow fell this winter, compared to the historical average of 19.3 inches.'
The impacts of drought conditions are being felt in Baltimore's surrounding areas.
In Harford County, 244,826 people are affected by drought conditions. From January through April, the area experienced its fifth driest start to the year in 131 years of monitoring precipitation.
Baltimore County is also struggling: From January through April, rainfall totals were 4.39 inches below normal, with last month being the 60th driest April on record over the past 131 years, drought data shows.
Over 78% of Carroll County residents are experiencing drought, with January through April ranking the third driest year to date over the past 131 years.
In Anne Arundel County, 38% of residents, or 204,365 people, are affected by drought.
Relief might be on the horizon, according to Pastelok.
'Late May and June still look active, with more cold fronts and rainfall that could ease drought conditions,' Pastelok said. 'We expect near to slightly above average rainfall this summer. If tropical systems from the Gulf track north, that could quickly boost rainfall totals — though pockets of drought may linger into early summer. Drier weather could return later in the season if those storms miss the region.'
Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com or on X as @ToddKarpovich
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