Station CB-KY-10 had entered D1 - MODERATE DROUGHT this morning.  Yesterday I have noticed that 85 to 90 percent of the grass is brown.  I have taken a long walk yesterday.  I have noticed that some of the grass at NKU is very crisp and extremely yellow brown along Johns Hill Road.  Approximately 10 percent of the trees are showing drought stress - particularly pine trees which are beginning to show brownness and the small decidious trees which are showing some minor wilting.  The pond level is much lower than normal.  There are large cracks in the lawn areas.  The soil is pulling away from the sidewalks and foundations.  The next door neighbor's tree in the front yard is now totally dead with no leaves on it at 747 Johns Hill Road.  

I had to keep continuing to water my newly planted trees at the cemetery and keep watering my marigold planters.  The rabbit ate almost all of my marigolds last week.  I have measured only 0.77" of rain during the past 30 days 6/3/2024 to 7/2/2024.  Had a high of (27.0) 80.6 F yesterday and a low of 12.9 C (55.2 F) @ 6:32 a.m. this morning.  There is almost no local stream flow except for the Licking and Ohio Rivers in Campbell County.

The grass is so dry in some areas that it is becoming a fire hazard especially from the following activities:  1) Fire works; 2) Outdoor barbecue grilling; 3) Smoking outdoors due to cigarette butts; 4) Sparks from operating gas-powered lawn equipment including lawn mowers; and 5) Having small fires in backyard fire pits.  Drought conditions at KY-CB-10 are now as bad as it was in early October 2019.  If we do not get a significant rainfall within the next two weeks around July 16, 2024, drought conditions will likely reach D2 - SEVERE DROUGHT and become as bad as it was in the severe drought of 2012. 

Rain is desperately needed in Campbell County.