The northeast of America has been experiencing a drought for the past three months, leading to devastating wildfires in New Jersey’s tri-state area. As of Nov. 20, 49.8% of New Jersey has been in a severe drought according to Drought.gov, with South Jersey getting the brunt of the dryness.
While annual droughts in the mid-Atlantic are not unusual, Drought.gov describes this year’s drought as the driest October on record and the 47th driest January-to-October on record since 1895. These dry conditions can bring forth disastrous consequences.
According to Fire Weather Avalanche, there were eight active wildfires in the state of New Jersey as of Nov. 22, all of which were recorded one to three weeks ago. However, local fire services constantly monitor and control them, stopping them from growing.
Similarly, Drew’s campus has been the victim of multiple wildfires such as the one in the Zuck Arboretum on Oct. 26 and on the tennis courts shortly after on Oct. 28.
“Our region continues to be under high fire risk advisory due to the incredibly dry conditions and high winds. There were, and continue to be, a number of fires in the region including a 190-acre fire still burning only a few miles away in Livingston and another 80-acre fire in Rockaway Township late last week,” President Hilary Link wrote in an email to the student body following the tennis court fire.
The Madison area was home to several wildfires in October due to the dry and unusually hot conditions. The daily high temperatures this October went as high as 84 degrees Fahrenheit but only as low as 63 degrees Fahrenheit.
The last known date that it rained in New Jersey was Sep. 28. Even still, the statewide rainfall average was only 0.83 inches. The beginning of November saw warmer-than-usual temperatures, averaging at a high of around 69.9 degrees Fahrenheit. However, for the first time since September, on Nov. 22, Drew experienced light rainfall. A day later, Drew experienced its first snow of the winter season.
The Weather Channel predicts that the subsequent two weeks will follow this trend with partial clouds and light rain/snow. Temperatures will average between 28.1 degrees Fahrenheit and 44.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, state and local officials continue to monitor the situation closely, encouraging residents to remain cautious about activities that could ignite fires.
In her email, President Link reminded students that Drew is a smoke-free campus, urging students to be mindful of the school’s policy for the safety of the forest and its residents.
These next few weeks will bring about significant changes for the dry regions up north. New Jersey remains in a state of severe drought, but meteorologists are hopeful that the upcoming precipitation could provide some relief.
Dee Cohen is a junior double-majoring in French and English with a literature concentration.
Featured image courtesy of Dee Cohen.