NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Parts Of Middle Tennessee See Drought-Like Conditions

Parts Of Middle Tennessee See Drought-Like Conditions

Few people complain about sunny, dry weather. But Middle Tennessee has seen so much of it throughout the winter and early spring that some areas are seeing a drought develop.

Many areas across the mid-state are 30-50% below their normal rainfall since the beginning of 2007.

In fact, according to the latest U.S. drought monitor report, all of middle Tennessee is abnormally dry. Southern sections and much of the Cumberland Plateau are in the moderate drought category, and the extreme southeast corner is now in severe drought.

As of late March, the Nashville Airport had gotten barely 6" (6.12) of rain since January 1, which is 44% below normal. The Crossville airport is 50% below normal, having received less than 7" (6.80) of rain so far this year.

Across middle Tennessee, the southern counties are the hardest hit.   The drought developed gradually, over the course of the winter.

December through February, Coffee County near Tullahoma racked up over a 7" (7.34) deficit.  Giles County near Pulaski got behind by over 5" (5.33) and the story wasn't much better with a 4.5 inch deficit at Waynesboro in Wayne County.

Dry weather conditions were influenced, in part, by El Nino that developed early last fall. An El Nino pattern typically brings cooler and dryer weather to the mid-south.

Many middle Tennesseans hope the pattern won't last much longer.

According to the climate prediction center, Middle Tennessee should have near normal precipitation over the next three months.