Lack of Rain, High Temps Drying Out Lafayette County

By Alyssa Schnugg

News editor

alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

When it comes to weather, things can change quickly in the South.

When spring arrived, it brought a lot of rain, making May the wettest third spring on record, according to the National Weather Service.

Just a couple of weeks into June, the latest Drought Monitor showed expanding areas of “Abnormally Dry” over the Mid-South – including the eastern half of Lafayette County.

While “Abnormally Dry” is the lowest level on the Drought Monitor, the forecast for the next week shows that above-normal temperatures and below-normal rainfall are expected throughout the rest of June, which means Lafayette County and north Mississippi could soon be faced with drought conditions.

Dry and hot conditions often can set the stage for an increase in brush and grass fires.

Lafayette County Fire Department Staff Officer Capt. Beau Moore said the department has responded to two brush fires since the dry weather set in.

“It has been very dry and hot,” he said. “We encourage residents to only burn outside if absolutely necessary. Do not leave any burning unattended.”

With the heavy load on electric power, some folks are taking to firing up their grills instead of cooking inside in the oven.

“If using a grill or fire pit, make sure to pour water on it after using it to make sure all embers are completely out,” Moore said.

There is a 30 percent chance of rain today for Lafayette County. After today, there is no rain forecasted through at least Thursday of next week with the high temperatures remaining in the high 90s after a small break on Saturday that has a high of 89 degrees expected.