Epi Week #27 - 2015 General Statements

Mosquito trap collections have started to pick up for most of the Districts/Projects, with some reporting average or even above average mosquito levels (after weeks of less than average activity). With spikes in both Culex spp. and Coquillettidia perturbans, we should expect arbovirus to be detected in mosquito populations any day now.

Weather

This past Epi Week did not bring much precipitation to the state, with Franklin County receiving the most rain (up to 3.5” in some areas). Expect the warm weather to continue, with isolated storm events bringing precipitation to some very localized parts of the state.

As of July 9th, Massachusetts is officially moved away from drought conditions, though the eastern part of the state, as well as the far southwestern corner, remain in pre-drought conditions (D0, or Abnormally Dry).

To give you an idea of just how parched the state has been for much of the 2015 season, the map below shows cumulative rainfall totals since the end of April. Most of the state received under 10 inches of precipitation over this 10-week period, several inches below normal.