NEW YORK (PIX11) – Suffolk and Nassau, as well as 18 other counties in New York, are under a drought watch, Governor Kathy Hochul announced Friday.

A drought watch is declared when a drought is developing.

Public water suppliers begin to conserve water and urge customers to reduce water use. Other stages of a drought include a drought warning, a drought emergency, and a drought disaster.

“Even with some recent rain, it wasn’t enough to reduce the dry conditions we’ve seen most of the summer this year,” Governor Hochul said. “In order to prevent a more severe shortage should conditions worsen, we could see local water restrictions in the Long Island, Adirondack, and Great Lakes regions of the state.”

Other New York counties under a drought watch include: Chautauqua, Clinton, Erie, Essex

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