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This week's rain isn't nearly enough to end NYC's drought warning
By
Louis C. Hochman
Published Dec 11, 2024
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Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
By
Louis C. Hochman
Published Dec 11, 2024
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It’s already been a wetter week than New Yorkers have gotten used to around the city, and Wednesday's forecast calls for significant storms. But it’ll take a lot more rain to end the ongoing drought warning.
The city and surrounding areas started receiving more precipitation in November after a historic dry spell, with about 3.77 inches of rain reaching the city’s reservoirs in the Catskills and Hudson Valley. That was a little more than the average of 3.41 inches for past Novembers, according to the city Department of Environmental Protection.
But a spokesperson for the department stressed the city was still suffering from a deficit of more than 7 inches of rain over the period from August through October, when a severe dip in the amount of rainfall contributed to brush fires throughout New York and New Jersey.
December would need to absolutely drench the region to make up the difference, experts said.
The environmental department said New York City’s reservoirs would need to receive 10 to 11 inches of rain in December, up from the typical 4, to end the drought warning for the five boroughs before the end of 2024. So far, the first third of December is lagging slightly behind historical averages.
“I want to be clear: We’re nowhere near out of the woods yet,” Mayor Eric Adams said earlier this week when he lifted a citywide ban on open flames and fireworks.
Central Park and Prospect Park had already both called off their annual New Year's Eve fireworks, with Prospect Park planning a drone light show in its place.
Wednesday’s weather is expected to put a further dent in the rainfall deficit. The National Weather Service said the city could see a few inches of rain amid heavy winds and possible flooding.
“ I'm not sure what would be better for folks, if they'd rather see a a blockbuster nor'easter or a warm rainstorm in December,” National Weather Service meteorologist Dominic Ramunni told Gothamist earlier this week.
The city’s reservoirs are at about 60% capacity, according to official figures. They’re normally a little more than 80% full around this time of year.
Adams and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul jointly announced the city was under a drought warning for the first time in 22 years on Nov. 18. The designation doesn’t automatically impose any restrictions on the public, but the city paused a repair of the Delaware Aqueduct in the Catskills so that officials could reopen access to that water supply.
Most of the Hudson Valley remains under a drought warning as well, the level below a more serious drought emergency, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Long Island is under a lesser drought watch.
All of New Jersey also remains under drought conditions, according to that state’s environmental department.
The city has urged New Yorkers to continue conserving water — including by avoiding flushing toilets unnecessarily, taking shorter showers and avoiding running water while shaving, washing hands or brushing teeth.
Officials suggested running dishwashers only when they’re full and using short cycles when possible. They also said fixing leaks and installing water-saving fixtures could have a big impact on home water conservation.
Brittany Kriegstein contributed to this story.
Tagged
new york state
weather
new york city
environment
new jersey
Louis C. Hochman
After about two decades in (mostly) New Jersey-focused commercial print, digital and digital-but-radio-adjacent news, Lou stumbled into member-supported news in early 2021, as the editor and CEO of Montclair Local. There, he (hopes he) expanded enterprise, brought more sophistication to digital storytelling and moved the nonprofit newsroom closer to long-term financial sustainability. He helped lead the Local to its fourth consecutive General Excellence award from the New Jersey Press Association — the NJPA's highest honor with judges noting the paper's work to strip away layers of government opacity, to hold power to account, to make news accessible for more members of the community, to share the stories and concerns of more facets of the community and to tell compelling stories across multiple media. He's excited to continue the same ethic — news as a public service — at NYPR as the New Jersey and suburbs editor, drawing on the extraordinary talents of reporters including Karen Yi and Nancy Solomon. Lou lives in Philly (that commute!) with his partner and their two cats, about whom and about which he speaks incessantly.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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