Asheville's long drought finally over; searing summer ahead

It's official, as I found out (and reported on, natch) today. The years-long drought that's gripped this fair city has finally come to an end:

Steady rains have meant that, for the first time in two and a half years, Asheville’s water system is full to overflowing, according to Interim Water Director Robert Griffin. But the forecast calls for a harsh summer: possibly three to four months without rain.

“It’s absolutely turned things around,” Griffin said of the recent rainy spell. “We’ve actually had to open the gates—let a little water out—to keep the reservoir at the right level.”

The last time such an abundance occurred, he added, was about “two and a half years ago. In 2007 the drought was at its worst and we put out voluntary restrictions. We didn’t have to do that in 2008 but it was still tight.”

But since last December, Griffin said, the situation has stabilized and there’s been more than enough water to go around.

Most of the area is technically in a temperate rainforest, so you can imagine how strange these past few years have been. Halle-bloody-lujah, now I can go back to watering my non-existent lawn and taking three hour-long showers a day.

Well, except for that nasty part about what's coming:

“I just returned from the Forest Service’s long-term forecast,” Griffin told Xpress. “Beginning in May, we’re looking at about three to four months without rain: It’s going to be a long, hot summer.”