South Carolina Drought Free for First Time in Nearly 2 Years

A special state committee says South Carolina is drought free for the first time in nearly two years.

The South Carolina Drought Response Committee voted last month to remove 13 mostly western counties from incipient, which is the first level of drought. It’s the first time the state has been drought free since July 2016.

State Climatologist Hope Mizzell says most of South Carolina has seen above normal rainfall through the winter and spring. Some areas saw up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in the last two weeks of May alone.

Officials say the rain has filled lakes, kept streams and rivers flowing and reduced the fire danger in South Carolina.

There has been a downside. Some farmers say their fields have been too wet to plant crops.