La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

August started with 100% of Skagit County in drought, the federal government reported. Severe drought hangs over the bulk of the county, 86%, while the borders – a slice of southern Fidalgo Island and southwestern Skagit Bay and the Cascade Mountains on the eastern side – 14%, is in moderate drought.

Rainfall measured at Washington State University’s Memorial Highway Mount Vernon station is 9.9 inches for the year, 7.2 inches or 42% below the January-July century average of 17.1 inches.

Monthly precipitation has been from 16% to 70% below normal until July, when it was only 8.1% below the cent...