Drought Information Statement for southeast Ohio, northeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, and much of West Virginia Valid September 19, 2025 Issued By: NWS Charleston, WV Contact Information: rlx.webmaster@noaa.gov Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements. Please visit https://www.weather.gov/RLX/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. Latest Drought Monitor Main Takeaways D4 (Exceptional Drought): None D3 (Extreme Drought): Introduction across central WV mountains D2 (Severe Drought): Expansion across WV mountains and Kanawha Valley D1 (Moderate Drought): Expansion across southeast OH and north-central WV D0: (Abnormally Dry): Lingering across southern Coal Fields Latest Drought Monitor 4-Week Change Four Week Drought Monitor Class Change Drought Worsened: All areas except southwest VA No Change: Southwest VA Drought Improved: None Latest 7-Day Rainfall and 30-Day Percent of Normal Rainfall Observed Precipitation Main Takeaways No rain observed across the area over the past week Much of the area has received less than 50% of normal rainfall over the past 30 days More pronounced across southeast OH where 25% or less was observed Latest 7 and 30-Day Temperature Anomaly Observed Temperature Main Takeaways Max temperatures 3 to 6 degrees above normal over the last week and 1 to 3 degrees above normal over the last month Summary of Impacts Hydrologic Impacts 7-day average streamflows continue to fall relative to historical averages for September (USGS) Near record low flows being observed for some gages in the Tygart and Cheat basins Low water levels in creeks and streams have led to an outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in the deer population in southeast OH and western WV (Broadcast and print media, OH DNR, WV DNR) Often fatal for affected deer Exacerbated during drought conditions that occur after a wet beginning to summer Groundwater monitoring wells are lowering, especially in the D2/D3 areas (USGS) Agricultural Impacts Soil moisture continues to decline across most areas (NIDIS) Supplemental hay feeding and hauling of water reported amongst livestock producers (Drought Impact Reporter, Condition Monitoring Observer Reports) Early cattle sales reported (Farm Service Agency) Fire Hazard Impacts Fire danger moderate Mitigation Actions Please refer to your municipality and/or water provider for mitigation information Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts Main Takeaways Streamflows continue to lower with much below normal observed in the Greenbrier, Tygart, and Cheat river basins Near record to record low flows at some gages in the Tygart and Cheat basins Groundwater wells have generally stabilized but remain low compared to early December averages across most areas Many reservoirs are below summer pool Tygart Lake and Stonewall Jackson Lake are especially affected Impacts Hauling of water reported from livestock producers Outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in the deer population in southeast OH and western WV Often fatal for affected deer Exacerbated during drought conditions that occur after a wet beginning to summer Agricultural Impacts Main Takeaways Topsoil rapidly declining Deeper soil moisture profiles slower decline due to wet early Summer Tree canopy stress noted in many areas with early leaf drop observed Impacts Hay shortage remains with supplemental feeding needed for livestock producers Some reports of relocation of cattle due to drought Many reports of hauling of water for livestock Fire Hazard Impacts Main Takeaways Generally moderate fire danger over the past week Significant wildfire outlook is normal for September Impacts Early dry leaf drop may contribute to brush fire threat heading into the Fall fire season 7 Day Precipitation Forecast Next 7 days: Weak high pressure gives way to approaching upper level system for next week Increasing chances for rain next week Confidence low on extent and amounts Not expected to alleviate drought conditions 8-14 Day Outlook Temperature and Precipitation Outlook Main Takeaways Above normal temperatures favored with a tilt toward above normal rainfall Seasonal (3-Month) Drought Outlook The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage Main Takeaways Favors drought lingering across most areas through the Fall season