After the recent heat wave, West Michigan is now being recognized as one of the dryer areas in the United States by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
This week’s map update shows parts of Barry, Calhoun and Kent are at intensity levels of "moderate drought," and the rest of West Michigan were at "abnormally dry" intensity levels, according to the map.
Over the past week, the Midwest has experienced a period of mostly dry weather and record-setting temperatures. Many in West Michigan had to adjust schedules due to the heat, with many early school closings and delayed athletic events.
Just over 35 percent of Michigan is in one of the five categories provided by the U.S. Drought Monitor, the highest since August 2016.
The U.S. Drought Monitor was established in 1999 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. They provide a weekly map update of drought conditions throughout the U.S. Maps are released every Thursday.