Yesterday’s update the on the region’s drought status resulted in a return to drought level 1, “Moderate”, for most of Wake County for the first time in many, many months. The drought status peaked at “Exceptional” during the winter, and still has a little further to go before returning to “Normal”. This is perhaps the most reasonable of the excuses for the City of Raleigh’s hanging on to Stage 1 water restrictions. My prediction is that these restrictions will be in effect until at least 2010 when the new watershed opens and/or a new mayor is elected.

Does anyone think that drought class names sound a lot like adjectives on the Applebee’s menu? The drought was “extreme” at one time, was later downgraded to “zesty” before reaching its current “downright tasty” status.