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Weekly High Plains Drought Update – May 3, 2018
Author: Crystal Stiles - High Plains Regional Climate Center
Published: 2018-05-03 15:54:44
Updated:
Drought Conditions Intensify in North Dakota, Colorado; Dryness Spreads across Eastern Nebraska
It was a warm, dry week across the majority of the High Plains region. Temperatures were generally 2-4°F above normal, and very little precipitation fell; therefore, no improvements were made on the U.S. Drought Monitor map for the High Plains this week. However, conditions worsened in a few locations, prompting degradations on the map. In North Dakota, abnormally dry conditions (D0) and moderate drought (D1) expanded, while severe drought (D2) was introduced to the northern portion of the state due to precipitation deficits and the lack of soil moisture. Dry conditions in April prompted the spread of D0 across much of eastern Nebraska, with D1 conditions now present in the extreme southeastern part of the state. A small area of exceptional drought (D4) was introduced to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in south-central Colorado, an area that experienced near-record-low snowpack this season.
Topsoil moisture decreased during the past week in North Dakota and Nebraska, rated at 45% and 26% short to very short, respectively. While Kansas saw some improvement in conditions this week, topsoil moisture was still lacking with a rating of 59% short to very short. Colorado remained at 53% short to very short this past week. Winter wheat condition was rated 50% poor to very poor in Kansas and 20% poor to very poor in Colorado, according to the U.S. Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin.
The Climate Prediction Center’s 6-10 day outlook favors above-normal temperatures for the entire High Plains region. Above-normal precipitation is expected across most of Nebraska, northwestern Kansas, and southeastern South Dakota, while below-normal precipitation is predicted for much of Wyoming, northwestern Colorado, and southeastern Kansas. The 7-day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast indicates the likelihood that most areas of the High Plains will see some precipitation, with the greatest amounts expected in the western Dakotas, much of Nebraska, eastern Kansas, and northeastern Colorado.
