Epi Week #27 - 2016 General Statements

Submissions were once again about double what they have been in past years, even with continued drought conditions. For Epi Week 27, this is mainly due to a large increase in Culex pipiens/restuans collections in gravid traps set by the State Lab (DPH) in urban areas including Brookline, Chicopee, Holyoke, and Worcester. A few of the Projects/Districts did report an uptick in Culex spp. levels, but things remain mostly quiet. Coquillettidia perturbans levels remained up though some projects saw a decrease this past week. After an initial increase in populations of Culiseta melanura collected at the start of the season, submissions have tanked (about at the levels they were at in Epi Week 27 of 2015, and far below what they were in comparable weeks in 2014, 2013, and 2012.

Weather

Drought conditions have worsened across much of the state this past week, with more than a quarter of the state now in an elevated Severe Drought (orange) and other parts noted as being in Moderate Drought (peach) or Abnormally Dry (yellow). As a result, the state has declared a Drought Watch for Central and Northeast Mass. and a Drought Advisory for the Southeast (read more on the mass.gov website).

Our weather expert at MDAR is predicting continued warm/hot temperatures with little rain outside of scattered thunderstorms. Current models are indicating a possibility of record breaking heat with high humidity at the end of Epi Week 29.

As you can see from the Epi Week 27 map below, rainfall was scattered, with much of the state remained without significant precipitation. Berkshire County, Cape Cod, and Nantucket Island were the major areas receiving an inch or more of precipitation.