After months of drier than usual conditions, all of New York City is facing drought conditions, the New York branch of the National Weather Service said Thursday.
Parts of southern Brooklyn and southern Queens, and all of Staten Island, are experiencing “severe” drought conditions, while the Bronx, Manhattan, and other parts of Queens and Brooklyn are seeing “moderate drought” conditions, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center.
Over the course of the summer, New York City saw just 8.82 inches of rainfall. On average, the city usually gets nearly 13 inches of rain during the summer.
The city’s drinking water reservoirs are currently at 74% of capacity, 12% below normal for this time of year.
According to the National Drought Mitigation Center, this July in Kings County, which includes southern Brooklyn, was the 28th driest on record, with 1.67 fewer inches of rain than normal. The agency has compiled data on droughts for 128 years.
On Staten Island, rainfall shortages were even more dramatic: the borough recorded 2.48 inches of rainfall less than normal during July, making it the 16th driest on record.
No water restrictions are currently in place across the five boroughs, but New York state’s Department of Environmental Conservation is encouraging homeowners to voluntarily reduce outdoor water use.
Their tips to protect water resources include watering lawns only when necessary, raising lawn mower cutting heights, using a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks, and fixing leaking pipes, hoses and faucets.
The city has not responded to a request for comment on whether it is considering issuing water restrictions.
The city could see some slight relief Friday, though: there’s a chance for passing thunderstorms and showers in the afternoon, according to NY1 meteorologist Erick Adame.