Above: Irrigation water runs along the dried-up ditch between the rice farms to provide water for the rice fields in Richvale, Calif., May 1, 2014. A U.S. Drought Monitor report released Thursday shows all of San Diego County is now in a moderate drought. The Category 1 declaration comes a year after water officials declared the region’s drought was over. According to the Drought Monitor, a “moderate drought” means ongoing dry conditions could cause damage to crops, and a possibility of water shortages could develop. Warm and dry conditions have dominated the region for the past six months, with the exception of one storm…

After Sunday’s soaking rain, drought conditions took a big hit during Thursday’s United States Drought Monitor update. The entire area of the northern Midlands covered by the second stage of drought known as moderate drought have been downgraded to the first stage known as abnormally dry. Just last week, drought expanded and encroached on every portion of the Midlands. Some areas in the southern Midlands were not included prior to last Thursday’s update. In the latest USDM outlook, those areas still remain in the first stage of drought. Looking at last Sunday’s precipitation, some areas recorded nearly two and a half inches of rainfall. The National Weather Service observed 2.42 inches in Saluda County’s Ridge Spring area while Newberry County’s Prosperity saw 2.40 inches. Irmo, Elgin, Manning and Blythewood recorded more than two inches of rain. “Sunday’s storm system really dropped some impressive numbers in areas that desperately needed the rain,” says SkyWACH…