Snowfall Not Expected to Fix Drought Damage

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Although western Kentucky has already seen its first snow storm of the season, experts say much more will have to fall to ease farmers’ pain from the past summer’s drought. The Dec. 26 snow storm dropped up to 7 inches of snow in Kentucky and up to a foot in some places in Illinois. But climatologists say it would take at least 8 feet of snow to return the soil to its pre-drought condition in time for spring planting. The average snowfall for Paducah is 10 inches, so the large amount of snowfall isn’t likely to happen.

Even if a massive storm developed, the temperature would have to be just right for farmers to benefit, because melted snow runs off into rivers and streams instead of absorbing into the soil if the ground is frozen.