Rain began to fall in New York City early Thursday, providing a partial respite after weeks of abnormally dry conditions forced the city to declare its first drought warning in over 20 years.
About 2.2 inches of rain was forecast to fall in the city, and slightly more in parts of New Jersey, between Thursday and Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service. The heaviest deluge was expected on Thursday.
The rain will start to ease the unusually dry conditions that led Mayor Eric Adams to declare a drought warning on Monday and urge New York City residents to conserve water. Such a warning is the last step before a drought emergency, which would include mandatory water restrictions.
Officials have said the rain will not be enough to fully replenish the city’s reservoirs, which are at about 60 percent of their total capacity, down from the usual 79 percent. It is “not a drought buster, but it will help, especially with ongoing fire weather issues,” the Weather Service’s New York office said on social media.
The extraordinarily dry fall in New York City and the Northeast has sparked wildfires across the region and brought some of the worst drought conditions in decades. Parts of southern New York State, including the city, have been in a severe drought for about a week. About a quarter of New Jersey has been in an extreme drought for two weeks.
A severe drought is the second level of a four-level scale, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System, and an extreme drought is the third. The highest level is an exceptional drought.
Moderate to heavy rain would fall in the region into the day, before becoming lighter, the Weather Service said. Strong winds, with gusts of up to 30 miles her hour, were also expected early Thursday.
The Northeast is also expected to see its first snowfall of the season this week. The first flurries were forecast for Pennsylvania and New Jersey on Thursday.