Dry zone spreads in D.C. area

By Martin Weil

Those autumn leaves, famed in song and story, have started to fall in the Washington area earlier than expected, according to a scientific report.

Thursday's U.S. Drought Monitor said it expanded its map of an abnormally dry zone in Northern Virginia in part to reflect reports of trees losing leaves "earlier than normal" because of lack of recent rainfall.

Meanwhile, the Council of Governments declared a drought watch Thursday in response to "unusually dry" conditions.

The council said that supply is adequate but that voluntary conservation will still help.

The National Weather Service predicted rain Sunday, followed by dry days. Yearly precipitation is down by about 20 percent.