YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – As of Sept. 11, much of Columbiana County has been upgraded to a severe drought, according to the latest update with the U.S. Drought Monitor.

This comes after the region has seen very little rainfall over the past 30 days. Columbiana County has been experiencing abnormally dry conditions since mid-August. Mahoning, Trumbull and Mercer counties are all level D0 — or considered abnormally dry — but not in a drought.

In the past 30 days, as you can see from the graphic above, many places in Columbiana County are between two and three inches below normal.

Impacts in Ohio that have been observed include rapid crop dry down, water hauling, low farm ponds and poor pasture conditions.

Each Thursday, the U.S. Drought Monitor releases a new map to indicate any changes. In the near future, the Valley is unlikely to see many improvements. Our 7-day Forecast is calling for only a small chance of rain Saturday night, while we remain dry the remainder of the next few days.

The Climate Prediction Center’s 6-10 day precipitation outlook continues the current dry pattern, learning toward drier than normal conditions from Sept. 17-21. The 8-14 day outlook shows equal chances for above or below normal precipitation chances between Sept. 19-25. This just means that there is not as strong a signal for more or less rainfall. Higher chances of above normal rainfall look to stay to our west.

The dry and warm weather pattern we will stay in through the next couple of weeks will also lead to higher fire dangers. Use caution for any bonfires and open burning the rest of September.

The recent dry stretch comes as we are near the end of an ENSO-neutral phase. Weak La Nina conditions are expected to develop in the coming months, which could affect what we see at home.

In the seasonal outlook, the Climate Prediction Center has placed our region in an area of equal chances for above and below normal precipitation. This means that there is no strong signal for a dry or wet pattern setting up from September to November.

For the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys, normal precipitation for the period ranges from 2.96 to 3.84 inches.

La Nina is often associated with above-average precipitation in the Lower Great Lakes during these cool seasons.