CINCINNATI — A statewide drought has been issued across the entire state of Kentucky, the Office of the State Climatologist and the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet announced Monday.
Kentucky is under a Level 1 drought, which indicates "moderate to severe drought conditions have developed, primarily affecting soil moisture and vegetative health."
“Over the past 30 days, data from the UK Ag Weather Center shows that the state has only averaged 1.69 inches of rain, which is over 1.5 inches below normal,” said Matthew Dixon, senior meteorologist with the University of Kentucky Agricultural Weather Center.
The Cincinnati region has also been dealing with drought conditions, with parts of the area experiencing moderate, severe and even extreme drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
For Kentucky, future forecasts offer a mixed bag, according to Jerry Brotzge, state climatologist and director of the Kentucky Mesonet and Kentucky Climate Center.
“The early October forecast from NOAA predicts below-normal precipitation for all of Kentucky, whereas the 3-month fall outlook forecasts equal chances for above-or below-normal precipitation," Brotzge said.
The lack of rain in the Cincinnati area is cutting into Jacob Armacost’s landscaping business.
“If we keep cutting, it’s just gonna look worse and worse,” Armacost said. “So either they'll skip or… I'll just skip it. If it don't need it, it don't need it."
WCPO 9 caught up with Armacost cutting a lawn in Reading that hadn’t seen a trim in nearly a month.
“It didn’t even need it, [it’s] just so dry,” Armacost said, adding the homeowner just wanted to make it look less shaggy.
With meteorological fall beginning Sunday, co-owner of AJ Rahn Greenhouses Susan Rahn said it’s an easy decision for homeowners wondering what to do about their yellow grass: “Forget your lawn.”
“Do not water your lawn. It goes dormant,” she said. “It'll be fine. Next year, it'll re-grow out.”
Instead, she recommends watering trees, bushes, shrubs and flowers.
“Just a trickle for a couple of hours,” Rahn said.
Rahn explained that if homeowners don’t take care of their plants, then they are at risk of being lost.
As the season changes, Rahn recommends asters, petunias, mums and pansies for the fall since they can tolerate a light frost.
“It'll just all blend to be really pretty,” she said.
Meanwhile, everyone is still buzzing for rain.
“Everybody will be thrilled. That’s for sure,” Rahn said.
Get the latest forecast from WCPO 9 First Warning Weather meteorologists here.
