Between consistently low rainfall and extremely warm temperatures, it’s been a long and dry couple of months in South Carolina, and it’s unlikely it will get better any time soon.

It’s not just SC. As of March 24, around 47% of the U.S. and Puerto Rico are in a drought, according to the latest report from the National Integrated Drought Information System, a U.S. agency that tracks drought conditions across the nation. This is a 9.7% increase from February.

In total, 129.4 million Americans are living in areas of drought.

While drought conditions are typically this intense when it’s closer to summer, record heat and dry weather have worsened the drought across large parts of the West, Plains and Southeast.

In SC, 85.9% of the state is experiencing a moderate drought or worse. Around 4 million residents in SC live in drought-affected areas, the NIDIS said, which is a 3.8% increase since last week.

This isn’t the worst drought SC has had, but precipitation levels are still concerning. Last month, SC experienced its 41st driest February on record, only receiving 2.9 inches of precipitation across the state. On average, 3.9 inches of rain fall in February.

When showers are expected in SC

Increased moisture in the air toward the end of the week will increase chances of rain in Columbia, according to the National Weather Service’s latest briefing.

Drought conditions are unlikely to improve this week, even with the rain.

The National Weather Service’s 7-day forecast for the Columbia area says there is a 30% chance of showers or isolated thunderstorms on Wednesday, when moisture starts to increase again. On Friday, there’s a 50% of rain. Saturday has a 40% chance of seeing rain during the day, and a 30% of seeing rain at night. On Sunday, there is a 40% of rain.

According to The Weather Channel, temperatures this week are still looking to be in the mid 80s, but will eventually cool off next week.

What to do during a drought

Droughts, if severe enough, can cause surface water to dry up and groundwater to fall below pumping range, according to the SC Department of Natural Resources.

The persistent dry weather will continue to strain water resources in SC, but there is no cause for concern yet. If you live in an area that is experiencing a drought, the best thing you can do is conserve water.

Here is a list of tips on how to conserve water, taken from Ready.com, a U.S. government emergency preparedness website:

Never pour water down the drain when there may be another use for it. For example, use it to water your indoor plants or garden
Fix dripping faucets by replacing washers. One drop per second wastes 2,700 gallons of water a year
Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other similar waste in the trash rather than the toilet
Choose appliances designed for greater efficiency and performance
Plant drought-resistant lawn seed. Reduce or eliminate lawn areas that are not used frequently
Don’t rinse dishes before placing them in the dishwasher, just remove large particles of food
In extreme drought, allow lawns to die in favor of preserving trees and large shrubs

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