Drought Monitor Update for NJ calls for 32% of the state under SEVERE DROUGHT where it was only 12% of the state last week.

Moderate drought conditions extend up through western Morris, Hunterdon, and southern Sussex counties including the Schooley's Mountain ridge region.

This moderate drought is indicated by lower water levels in area reservoirs such as Spruce Run, Round Valley, and even Lake Hopatcong.

Dry weather is expected to persist through the next 7-10 days despite very low amounts of rain that fell this morning with last night's front. Most places saw less than 0.05 inches of rainfall across north and western New Jersey.

Newark still hasn't seen measurable rain since Sept. 29. This dry streak of non-measurable rain will create the driest month ever on record for Newark, surpassing June 1949.

This will also surpass the longest consecutive period without measurable rain, which is 26 days. Drought conditions are expected to worsen over the next week.