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Weekly High Plains Drought Update - August 4, 2016
Author: Haylie Mikulak - High Plains Regional Climate Center
Published: 2016-08-04 15:58:14
Updated:
Locally isolated precipitation brought some improvements to areas of the High Plains Region this week, however improvements were minimal. Other areas saw further degradation due to the lack of significant precipitation for two or more weeks. Over 82% of South Dakota is experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions. In western South Dakota, southwestern North Dakota, and northern Wyoming, moderate (D1), severe (D2), and extreme (D3) drought conditions continued to persist. However, there were some local one-step improvements in this area. D1 conditions remained in the Nebraska Panhandle, central Nebraska, north-central Wyoming, and central South Dakota also with small areas of local improvements. Abnormally dry (D0) conditions remained and expanded in southeastern Wyoming as well in small areas throughout the entire region including the southwestern corner of South Dakota. D2 conditions continued to persist the Big Horn Range in Wyoming. D0 and D1 conditions linger in central Nebraska, the eastern border of the Dakotas as well as southwestern and north-central Colorado. A small area of D2 conditions was introduced to south-central Nebraska, close to the Nebraska-Kansas border this week as well.
Over 62% of the High Plains region is currently free of drought or abnormal dryness.
Over the next week, above-normal temperatures are expected for the eastern and southern portions of the High Plains Region as well as much of the eastern US. However, below-normal temperatures are expected for the far western portion of the region as well as the western US. Average temperatures are expected for the northern portion of the High Plains. Meanwhile, above normal precipitation is expected for the far eastern and northern portions of the region as well as the Southeast and Midwest. Areas including the southern and western portions of the High Plains Region, the southern Plains, and the Pacific Northwest are expecting near-normal precipitation values.
For more information on the U.S. Drought Monitor, please visit: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu
