Weekly High Plains Drought Update - March 10, 2017

Conditions across most the High Plains Region remained unchanged this week due to the little precipitation totals over the area, however there were some slight changes in Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska.  North Dakota's zone of abnormally dry conditions present in the southwest corner of the state continues this week.  Areas of moderate (D1) drought and abnormal dryness (D0) remained across western South Dakota as well as conditions in eastern Wyoming.   Eastern Kansas saw the expansion of D0 and D1 conditions, while southeastern Kansas saw further degradation with the introduction of D3 conditions.  Western Nebraska's conditons saw no changes in D1 conditions and D2 conditions, while abnormally dry conditions were introduced in the far southeast corner of the state.  In eastern Colorado, conditions mostly remained the same this week, however there was the introduction of D3 conditions in the extreme southeastern corner of the state.

Over 64% of the High Plains Region is currently free of drought or abnormal dryness.     

Over the next week, above normal temperatures are expected across the High Plains Region as well as most of the western US, while the temeperatures along the East Coast are expected to be below normal.  Meanwhile, above normal precipitation is expected for the northern portion of the High Plains Region as well as the Pacific Northwest and portions of the Midwest.  Below normal precipitation is expected for most of the southern areas of the High Plains and most of the southern US.  

For more information on the U.S. Drought Monitor, please visit: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu