Horry County to see ‘very welcomed’ rain this weekend. Will it help drought?

Horry County residents finally heard rumbles of thunder Thursday after a major dry spell, including the driest March on record in the last 132 years.

Most of Horry County is now in an extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Rick Neuherz, National Weather Service Wilmington, North Carolina, senior service hydrologist, said there will be multiple chances of rain over the next week, with an estimated 1 to 1.5 inches expected. A NWS weather briefing called for rain Thursday morning and late Friday with the highest chance on Saturday.

“It would be very welcomed rain, I’m sure, for farmers and everybody else,” he said. “I can tell you that won’t be enough to alleviate the drought.”

North Myrtle Beach, an area where NWS records rainfall in the county, recorded only 44% of average rainfall in the last six months. A normal six-month period would have had roughly 19 inches of rain, and only 8.28 inches fell.

South Carolina’s climate division four represents eight northeast counties, including Horry. The area would need 9.14 inches of rain ideally spread over the next month to end the drought, but Neuherz said it’s unlikely to occur.

Neuherz advised residents to water their yard earlier or later in the day when the humidity is higher and temperatures are lower to avoid an inefficient use of water. He also warned residents to comply with ongoing water conservation efforts when they are in effect.