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The S.C. Department of Natural Resources will conduct a South Carolina Drought Response Committee conference call on Thursday, Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. The purpose of the drought conference call is to evaluate the drought status statewide. The committee will review climatic data, streamflow and lake level data, and drought impacts.Drought map

The SC Drought Response Committee, meeting via conference call on Dec. 11, upgraded the drought status one level in every county statewide. Oconee, Pickens, Anderson, Abbeville, McCormick, Greenwood, Edgefield, Saluda, Newberry, Lexington, Aiken and Barnwell counties moved to the severe drought level. Greenville, Spartanburg, Cherokee, York, Laurens, Union, Chester, Fairfield, Richland, Sumter, Calhoun, Orangeburg, Clarendon, Allendale, Bamberg, Dorchester, Berkeley, Hampton, Colleton and Jasper counties were upgraded to moderate drought status. All other counties in the state that were previously at no drought are now incipient.

For those interested in monitoring the free conference call (605) 475-4700 and input the participant access code of 952805#.

Contact South Carolina State Climatologist Hope Mizzell in Columbia at (803) 530-5793 or e-mail at mizzellh@dnr.sc.gov for more information.