Drought conditions prevail
By KAREN BITNER Echo Pilot

Although storms rumbled in the distance the evening before, Old Home Week opened Saturday under some of the driest weather conditions on record. Local weather observer Robert Wertime noted that although 2007 started off with normal amounts of precipitation, this summer has been parched. WErtime said that precipitation through the end of April was normal, with 12.13 inches received, compared to normal amounts of 12.5 inches. "An abrupt cutoff came around May 1," Wertime said, adding that only 1.59 inches of precipitation fell in May, and only 2.9 in June, compared to an average of 4 inches for each month.

By the end of June, Wertime noted, the Greencastle-Antrim community had received a to-

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A - 1

tal of 16.62 inches of precipitation, compared to a normal of 20.5 inches. "This July is the driest I have on record," said Wertime, adding that only.58 inch of precipitation fell the entire month. By the end of July, the area received 17.2 inches of precipitation for the year, with normal totals being about 24 inches.

Wertime said the driest months that have occurred since he started keeping records were August , 2006, when only .55 inches of precipitation fell, and April, 1983, when rainfall amounted to less than .5 inches.

Although the weather has been very hot the past few days, so far no records have been set. "This is not the hottest summer, but we are very dry," Wertime explained. "This could be due to the lack of cooling activity from storms," he added. Wertime said July of 1980 is the hottest month he recalls.

Normal low and high temperatures for July average about 60 and 85, Wertime said. Average low and high temperatures for this July were 65.6 and 85.5. "It's roughly 2.5 degrees higher than the average monthly norm of combined low and high temperatures for July," he explained. "We've had hotter summers."

Wertime said he has noticed that there were periods of substantial dryness during the summers of the mid 1960s and the 1980s, in what he called a "very rough 20-year cycle." He said he's noticed that patterns of drought do recur, but the frequency is generalized and mostly unpredictable. "In the overall weather pattern," he summarized, "there are dry spots and there are wet spots, and that's the way it is."

A light rain Sunday night into Monday morning has eased conditions somewhat. Wertime said Greencastle received .49 inch of rain during the period, which restored faltering lawns and gardens somewhat.

Farm crops have been suffering from the lack of water, according to the Franklin County Farm Service Agency County Committee. A 90 percent loss is predicted for grain corn, and a 75 percent loss is predicted for silage corn losses, the Agency said last week. Pasture losses are expected to be 85 percent, and hay has been reduced by half.

According to Tanya Tracey of Tracey's Orchard on Hollowell Church Road, fruit crops haven't been too badly affected by the drought so far but the rain was very welcome. "We were just getting to the desperation point for the late apples when this rain came," she said Monday. "Sometimes rain follows rain," she laughed, "We won't mind if we have to pick in the rain."

So far no official water restrictions are in place, and officials are hoping that residents undertake voluntary water conservation measures. Rick Freshman of the Greencastle Water Treatment plant said that people need to slow down consumption. "They shouldn't water their lawns," he advised. "It's very dry."

According to OHW Fireworks Co-chair Don Coldsmith, so far the dry conditions aren't bad enough to cause cancellation of the pyrotechnic display scheduled for Friday night. "We have the Rescue Hose Fire Company who always stand by and puts guys back in the woods with tanks on their backs to put out hot spots," he explained. Coldsmith said the drought would have to get a lot worse before officials would decide to cancel the popular event. "At this point we're OK," he said.