Serious drought conditions [1] continue throughout the South. The National Weather Service has issued the following statement [2] for East Tennessee:
...ATTENTION: DEEPENING DROUGHT OVER THE REGION...D3 (EXTREME) DROUGHT CONDITIONS EXIST OVER ALL OF SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE, THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU, AND THEN EASTWARD TO ROUGHLY A KNOXVILLE TO GATLINBURG LINE. THIS INCLUDES MOST OF THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS. IT ALSO COVERS CHEROKEE AND CLAY COUNTIES IN NORTH CAROLINA.
D2 (SEVERE) DROUGHT CONDITIONS EXIST OVER ALMOST ALL OF THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU, ACROSS THE NORTHERN PART OF THE GREAT VALLEY, AND ALL OF NORTHEAST TENNESSEE, EXCEPT THE FURTHERMOST TIP. IT ALSO COVER A SLIM STRIP OF SOUTHERN SCOTT COUNTY, VIRGINIA.
D1 (MODERATE) DROUGHT COVERS THE NORTHERNMOST CUMBERLAND PLATEAU, THE FAR NORTHEAST TIP OF TENNESSEE AND VIRTUALLY ALL OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.
The report also indicates record low water tables, soil moisture, and stream flows. It also says that prolonged periods of rain and/or tropical storm activity and a wet summer, fall, and winter are needed to recover from a long term drought, but this is not expected. Citizens are urged to conserve water.
Here is a snapshot of rainfall in Knoxville (TYS) since 2000 (source [3]):
The average rainfall for May 2000-2006 was 4.68 inches. May 2007 rainfall was 1.48 inches. The average YTD rainfall for May 2000-2006 was 22.29 inches. May YTD rainfall was 12.81 inches.
The National Weather Service also notes the following [4]:
• Knoxville received 1.48 inches of rain in May, which was 3.20 inches below normal. It ranked as the 13th driest May on record at Knoxville. Measurable rainfall occurred on only five days, and only one of those days had more than one-quarter of an inch of rainfall. The heaviest rain fell on the 5th when 1.20 inches of rain was recorded, which accounted for nearly all of the rain for the entire month. The driest May out of 137 years at Knoxville was back in 1941, when only 0.71 inches was recorded.• The monthly average temperature at Knoxville was 70.0 degrees, which was 4.0 degrees above normal. It ranked as the 23rd warmest May on record at Knoxville. The warmest May at Knoxville was back in 1962, when the average temperature was 74.0 degrees.
• Knoxville received a total of only 9.15 inches of rain this spring, which was 4.69 inches below normal. It ranked as the 23rd driest spring on record at Knoxville. The driest spring at Knoxville was back in 1925, when only 5.80 inches was recorded.
• The average seasonal temperature at Knoxville this spring was 61.0 degrees, which was 3.1 degrees above normal. It tied with 1974 as the 10th warmest spring on record at Knoxville. The warmest spring at Knoxville was back in 1974, when the average temperature was 62.6 degrees.