Low water levels observed at Cotter Springs as drought conditions continue – photo Linda Zdora
With the final week of October approaching, locals are beginning to ask if they will see any rain this month. No rain has been recorded at KTLO, Classic Hits, and The Boot, the official reporting station for the National Weather Service (NWS), since Sept. 28, when 0.62 inches of rain fell.
Dry conditions have led to 58 of Arkansas’ counties being placed under burn bans, and all but 11 counties are under high wildfire danger. On Monday, the cities of Gassville and Cotter joined a growing list of communities in Baxter County to place local burn restrictions, although the county remains free of a burn ban as of Tuesday morning.
The month of October typically sees 3.99 inches of rain, with October 2023 recording 5.42 inches of precipitation. The driest October on record occurred in 1965, when only 0.04 inches of precipitation was recorded. As of Tuesday morning, the NWS stated via X.com that conditions are not looking promising for the next seven days, as dry air remains in place. The best chance of precipitation could come at the start of November, where future models show promising signs of rain returning to the area.
The following graphics from NWS outline rain chances as well as burn bans and wildfire danger across the state.
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