East Tennessee is dry. Dangerously so. The latest edition of the Palmer Drought Index shows every county in the region is running short on rainfall, from “unusually dry” at the Kentucky border to “moderate drought” for Knoxville and Maryville, to “exceptional drought” for Chattanooga and Hamilton County.
The drought means less water flowing into streams and rivers. The conditions threaten crops and livestock. And wildfires are much more likely to occur and spread rapidly.
National Weather Service meteorologist Jeremy Buckles speaks with WUOT All Things Considered host Brandon Hollingsworth about the drought, its causes and its effects in East Tennessee.