NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Two forest fires burning in south Louisiana since the weekend are evidence that portions of the state are experiencing a moderate drought.
That’s according to Mark Svoboda (Sah-Bo-Duh), a climatologist with the National Drought Mitigation Center. Svoboda says almost all of Louisiana is abnormally dry for this time of year, but the southern region is experiencing a moderate drought.
Signs of drought include below normal precipitation and very dry soil and vegetation conditions that can result in forest fires.
Mike Efferson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Slidell, said rainfall levels in the state are about two inches below normal. He said Louisiana usually gets about 12.74 inches of rain from January to this time of year but has only gotten 10.79 inches.—-Contact The Daily Reveille news staff at [email protected]