Drought conditions hit parts of Connecticut

Things are drying out in parts of Connecticut.

The eastern half of the state is either “abnormally dry” or in a “moderate drought,” according to the latest Drought Monitor Conditions Index released this week by the U.S. Drought Monitor.

The USDM is updated every Thursday to show the location and intensity of droughts across the United States.

The map indicates droughts using a five-level system which ranges from D0 (abnormally dry) to D4 (exceptional drought)

On the current map, 56 percent of Connecticut is listed as D0 with 21 percent of the state falling into the D1 category.

In D0, crop growth is stunted; planting is delayed; fire danger is elevated; spring fire season starts early; lawns brown early and gardens begin to wilt.

In D1, irrigation use increases; hay and grain yields are lower than normal; honey production declines and the chance of wildfires and ground fires increases.

Parts of New Haven, Hartford, Middlesex and New London counties are in the D0 category while parts of New London, Windham and Tolland counties are in the D1 category.

Western New Haven,

Fairfield and Litchfield counties are not experiencing drought conditions.

According to drought.gov, 338,497 people in the state are affected by the drought conditions.

Areas in western New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire also fall into the D0 and D1 levels of drought.

D1 conditions are present in a portion of Maine’s central coastline and throughout parts of southeast New England. Most of Rhode Island is in D1.

D0 conditions affect portions of western New York, Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.