Lack Of Rain Brings 'Severe' Drought To RI

Nearly all of Rhode Island is now in an "extreme drought," according to the National Weather Service.

An exceptionally dry summer was capped off by a week of little to no rain across the region in the past days, and more dry weather is in the forecast. The latest forecast for Rhode Island shows clear skies throughout the weekend, with no chance of rain until Sunday night, into Monday.

Earlier this month, Gov. Gina Raimondo issued a statewide drought advisory for Rhode Island, the first of five drought designations.

"I want to reassure Rhode Islanders that we have systems in place to respond to dry conditions, and we will continue to closely monitor the situation in the days and weeks ahead," Raimondo said at the time. "We are encouraging residents and businesses to identify their water supplier and watch for any water restrictions in their area. I also want to remind Rhode Islanders to be considerate of their water usage, because we all play a role in our state's water conservation efforts."

To help conserve water, Rhode Islanders are encouraged to check for any local water restrictions and take steps to conserve water, such as:

• Don't water during the warmest part of the day when most water evaporates (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
• Try not to "over-water" your lawn — the average lawn needs 1 inch of water per week
• Sweep driveways, sidewalks and steps as opposed to spraying them down with a hose
• Check load size when you are washing laundry or dishes to ensure you are not using more water than needed.