Could Beryl bring parts of South Carolina out of the drought?

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — While you may be thinking rain, rain go away, others are welcoming it. “We are glad to see the rain,” says Martin Eubanks, Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture for South Carolina. Eubanks says the state’s farmers need it. “Statewide we still are considered in a moderate drought,” says Eubanks. But recent rains have been promising. “When you go planting, it provides moisture, there’s nothing like rainfall that provides moisture,” says Eubanks. Something that’s very helpful for your favorite fruits and veggies that will soon hit the market. “Vegetables are getting started up in a nice way, watermelons will be starting soon, peaches certainly have been rolling for a while now,” says Eubanks. Crandall Sims reporting, “While things like plants and agriculture have seen beneficial amounts of rain lately, other parts of the state haven’t been so lucky.” Right now seven counties in the state, from Aiken north in the Upper Savannah River basin through Oconee County, are in severe drought. The remaining counties are in a moderate drought. Raising concerns for some of the state’s lakes, though State Climatologist, Hope Mizzell, says local favorites like Lake Murray and Wateree are doing ok. Still, other areas need rainfall and recent rain added with the expected batch from Tropical Depression Beryl could be the answer. “Agriculturally a lot of areas really benefited from that rain a few weeks ago and as long as we don’t have too much rain too fast, then they could benefit from this rain as well,” says Mizzell.