Delaware no longer faces drought conditions according to a new report from the State Climate Office.
October 2024 marked the driest month in recorded history for Delaware, but State Climatologist Kevin Brinson says that wasn’t the only notable thing about it.
“The most interesting part about this drought was that it set in so rapidly. We basically went without for most of September and all of October. It was also quite warm, which dries the system out pretty quickly too. ” he told DPM. "“October was actually the driest month in statewide history, at least on our recorded history. In 130 years we never had a month, a month of any kind, as dry as October."
Now, precipitation has been well above normal for the past month in most locations. State Climate Office reports say even with high evapotranspiration rates, most locations still rain a water balance surplus for the month of July.
Although the dryness set in after most summer crops were planted, Brinson says it significantly delayed the primary autumn planting window for cover crops like barley and oats.
Sussex County faced most severe drought conditions, but Brinson says that drought was significant state-wide, noting none of the three counties came out of it “unscathed”
As of now, the state has not lifted its drought watch declaration from then Gov. John Carney, but Brinson says that will likely change soon based on the new climate reports, as warm and wet conditions are expected to persist through the remainder of the summer and into early fall.
Delawareans have been able to monitor drought conditions online on the Climate Office’s website since an initiative from the State Climate Office earlier this year.
