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Update on Drought Conditions in the High Plains - September 15, 2015
Author: Judson Buescher - High Plains Regional Climate Center
Published: 2015-09-18 15:24:45
Updated:
As a whole the High Plains region experienced drier and warmer than average conditions. Northwestern North Dakota received up to four inches of precipitation leading to the removal of Abnormal Dryness (D0). The southwestern part of the state however has been exceedingly dry the past few weeks leading to the introduction D0 conditions. Areas in northern Kansas also saw continued dryness or precipitation leading to drought degradation in north-central and drought improvement in northwestern Kansas.
In North Dakota temperatures averaged below normal while minimal precipitation was reported across the rest of state. Harvesting has begun for early planted row crops while livestock producers were hauling hay and beginning to wean calves. Most of South Dakota crops experienced advancing maturity due to the continued warm and dry weather. Some producers continued seeding winter wheat and preparing for harvest.
Much of Nebraska experienced near normal temperatures this week with occasional precipitation in the eastern half of the state. Seed corn harvest had just begun and the first few fields of high moisture corn were being taken. Irrigation is also finally coming to a stop for the year. Most of Kansas saw warm, wet conditions. Corn maturity is near the 5 year average of 57%. Harvesting is underway in Kansas as well. Only 11% of corn is harvested, far behind the five year average of 25%.
Dry, hot weather conditions prevailed in Colorado. These dry conditions accelerated fieldwork and allowed harvesting of several row crops to begin. In Wyoming warmer and drier conditions dominated around the state. Farmers are finishing their harvest of small grains, and the temps are cooling off especially at night.
To learn more about the U.S. Drought Monitor, please see: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu
To see the U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook, please see the Climate Prediction Center
here:http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/sdo_summary.html
To see the areas of agriculture affected by the drought, please see the USDA link: http://www.usda.gov/oce/weather/Drought/AgInDrought.pdf
To see the impacts of the drought, please see the Drought Impact Reporter here: http://droughtreporter.unl.edu/
Check out the table below for the drought conditions over the past 2 months for the High Plains Region.
To view statistics of the High Plains Region and each state check out the Regional Statistics here:
http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/MapsAndData/DataTables.aspx
Drought Condition (Percent Area): High Plains Region
|
Date |
None |
D0-D4 |
D1-D4 |
D2-D4 |
D3-D4 |
D4 |
|
09/15/2015 |
86.37 |
13.63 |
0.42 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
09/08/2015 |
86.30 |
13.70 |
0.16 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
09/01/2015 |
91.92 |
8.08 |
0.16 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
08/25/2015 |
93.79 |
6.21 |
0.16 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
08/18/2015 |
93.89 |
6.11 |
0.10 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
08/11/2015 |
93.24 |
6.76 |
0.10 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
08/04/2015 |
84.89 |
15.02 |
0.67 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
07/28/2015 |
84.98 |
15.02 |
0.67 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
07/21/2015 |
88.44 |
11.56 |
0.67 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |