Fall has been dry across the state, raising concern from farmers

Hanna Wike of Condon Farms rakes a field of wheat straw along Md. 94 in Winfield. file

Although Marylanders might be enjoying the clear, crisp fall weather around the state, the lack of rain is concerning some farmers and meteorologists.

Chesnea Skeen, a National Weather Service meteorologist, explained that Maryland’s month-to-date precipitation is 2.5 inches below normal levels. Only slightly over a third of an inch of rain has fallen in October so far, and the month’s normal average is 2.73 inches.

As of Thursday, the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that Howard County is the sole location in the state without overly dry conditions. The Drought Monitor classifies droughts on a scale of D0 to D5, with D1 beginning to qualify as a drought and D0 just abnormally dry. Every other Maryland county is facing D0 conditions or above.

In the Baltimore region, Harford is most affected, with 20% of its total area under D1 drought conditions and 80% at D0. Anne Arundel County has 81% of its area at a D0, with Baltimore County and Baltimore City following at 73% and 53% D0 areas, respectively. Carroll County is the least abnormally dry at 34% of its land experiencing D0 conditions.

Hans Schmidt, assistant secretary for resource conservation at the Maryland Department of Agriculture and a farmer himself, told The Baltimore Sun, “I cannot remember it being this dry … as we’re having it right now during this fall season. This is about as dry as I’ve seen.”

Although farmers might have been able to quickly wrap up their spring and summer harvests without any interfering rain, Schmidt explained the lack of rain could stunt the growth of fall-planted vegetables, grains and cover crops designed to divert nutrient runoff from the Chesapeake Bay. Schmidt doubted this year’s disruption would have an impact on the bay, however.

At Schmidt’s farm, he has personally held off on planting wheat due to the dry weather.

“So farmers are looking at [the dry weather] and trying to determine: Should I plant anticipating there’s rain coming, or should I just wait ‘til the rain comes? And I think farming decisions are definitely being made due to the drought,” he said.

When asked when it might rain again, Skeen said, “That’s the question we’re all asking.” She said the westernmost part of the state will have a slight chance of rain Wednesday night, and southwest Baltimore county has a 14% chance of rain Saturday.

The end of hurricane season likely won’t help the dryness either. Tropical Storm Oscar most likely will not bring any precipitation up north to Maryland, after probably dissipating northeast of Bermuda.

Skeen also noted that La Niña, the weather pattern known for making waters colder in the Pacific Ocean, will bring warmer temperatures to Maryland as fall progresses into winter, but precipitation should be near normal.

Have a news tip? Contact Racquel Bazos at [e-mail], 443-813-0770 or on X as @rzbworks.