Following weeks of intense summer heat and little rainfall, flash drought has intensified in a region stretching from the Carolinas to Pennsylvania. A flash drought is described as the sudden arrival of drought conditions that are set in motion by lower-than-normal rates of precipitation, accompanied by abnormally high temperatures, winds, and solar radiation.

“Severe and extreme drought conditions developed in the Carolinas, where the lack of rainfall combined with relentless heat have dried out the area,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Bernie Rayno. “Drought has expanded across the Southeast, where we could also use some rain.”

Unlike long-lasting droughts similar to the ones observed across the western United States in recent years, flash droughts are often short-term in nature and can disappear quickly. The effects of a flash drought are most notable in the top layers of soil and lead to detrimental effects on agriculture and crop yields.

Image courtesy US Drought Monitor