Berkshire County is now in a significant drought. Is there any soaking rain in sight?

Twenty-five days and counting since any beneficial rain has fallen in Berkshire County. What started out as a dry spell in September with day after day of sunshine and summer-like warmth, is now a full-fledged drought. The current U.

S. Drought Monitor now shows all of Berkshire County in the moderate drought category, while parts of central and eastern Massachusetts are in a severe zone. The southeast portion of the state, as well as the Cape and the Islands, are in a pre-drought abnormally dry category.



The U.S. Drought Monit or has expanded its moderate drought zone to cover all of Berkshire County.

It’s a now an upgraded “significant drought,” the state’s Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper announced on Thursday. The Drought Task Force reported that all of Western Massachusetts is in the expanded zone. Saturday: Sunny, near 45, breezy.

Clear overnight, low 20-25. Sunday: Partly cloudy, slight chance of late-day showers, high around 50. Nighttime showers likely, low 40-45.

Monday (Veterans Day): Partly cloudy, 30 percent chance of morning showers, high near 60. Mostly cloudy at night, low near 40. Tuesday: Sunny, near 50; partly cloudy overnight, upper 20s.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, upper 40s; Mostly cloudy, 40 percent chance of nighttime showers, low 35. Thursday: Mostly cloudy, 50-50 chance of showers, near 50, dropping to around 35 at night. Friday: Cloudy, chance of morning rain, high near 45, overnight low 30-35.

Saturday (11/16): Mostly sunny, mid-40s; clear at night, low around 30. Sources: National Weather Service and AccuWeather.com That means detailed monitoring of drought conditions, close coordination among state and federal agencies, and technical outreach and assistance to the affected towns.

Nearly 50 wildfires have broken out so far this month , including one along the Massachusetts Turnpike in Chicopee on Thursday afternoon that required an early-afternoon shutdown of traffic on the interstate. In October, there were 203 brushfires statewide. “Climate change is bringing drier weather to our state at times and extreme precipitation at others," Tepper stated.

"It is critical that we all practice water conservation methods, especially indoors, and adhere to local requirements to decrease the stress on our water systems and ensure essential needs, such as drinking water, habitats and fire suppression, are being met.” “This dry weather pattern is driving a historic fall fire season,” according to Massachusetts Emergency Management Director Dawn Brantley. “As drought conditions persist, it can impact the fire service’s ability to fight these fires.

” Outdoor burning restrictions remain in place. Streamflow has also dropped significantly, resulting in dry brooks and stream beds as well as declining groundwater levels. The vast majority of 121 U.

S. Geological Survey stream-monitoring stations across Massachusetts are reporting below-normal flows for this time of year. "Given the ongoing drought conditions across Massachusetts, our wildfire risk remains high, with the dry landscape providing ample fuel for fires to spread quickly.

We urge everyone to exercise extreme caution and remember, even small sparks can ignite a larger fire in these conditions," said Department of Conservation and Recreation Chief Fire Warden Dave Celino. AccuWeather meteorologists expect some showers approaching western New England by Sunday night, but with limited impact. "This sort of rain is certainly not enough to really help out with the ongoing drought conditions, but it would be enough to soak the top layer of the soil and brush, which will reduce the chance for wildfire ignition and spread on Monday as westerly winds pick up," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson stated in an online update on Friday.

There’s another chance of light showers on Thursday, but most of the upcoming week will be dry, with temperatures closer to the seasonal range of 30 to 50. The Climate Prediction Center’s extended outlook for Nov. 16-22 indicates above average temperatures with near normal rainfall.

Day by day . . .

Saturday: Sunny, near 45, breezy. Clear overnight, low 20-25. Sunday: Partly cloudy, slight chance of late-day showers, high around 50.

Nighttime showers likely, low 40-45. Monday (Veterans Day): Partly cloudy, 30 percent chance of morning showers, high near 60. Mostly cloudy at night, low near 40.

Tuesday: Sunny, near 50; partly cloudy overnight, upper 20s. Wednesday: Mostly sunny, upper 40s; Mostly cloudy, 40 percent chance of nighttime showers, low 35. Thursday: Mostly cloudy, 50-50 chance of showers, near 50, dropping to around 35 at night.

Friday: Cloudy, chance of morning rain, high near 45, overnight low 30-35. Saturday (11/16): Mostly sunny, mid-40s; clear at night, low around 30. Sources: National Weather Service and AccuWeather.

com.