Spotlight: Is the Hudson Valley in a Drought or Not?

I'm having a hard time reconciling what I'm hearing from New York State authorities versus what I'm seeing with my own eyes in the Hudson Valley. Are we in a drought or not?

It's no secret that rain hasn't been falling in any considerable amounts recently in the Hudson Valley. In my backyard in Newburgh, half of the grass has turned to dust, and Chadwick Lake is a fraction of its former self (below).

Are There Drought Conditions in the Hudson Valley?

Every day it seems like there's another side effect of drought conditions. Houses using well water are starting to recognize the telltale smell of sulfur that comes with low water levels, and many local creeks have run dry. But what's the official word from authorities?

Drought Classification From NYS DEC

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), despite all the abovementioned incidents, New York is currently considered "normal" in terms of drought stages. The answer is different, however, depending who you ask.

Hudson Valley Drought Conditions from NOAA

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has elevated parts of New York State to their first-tier drought description. While the "D" word is still not in use, NOAA evaluates current conditions in the Hudson Valley as "abnormally dry".

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For Hudson Valley residents like myself, calling these conditions dry is like calling the Empire State Building tall. It might be technically true, but we're missing the bigger picture. With no real rain in the foreseeable future, chances are that these conditions will be upgraded.