Weekly High Plains Drought Update - May 24, 2018

Warmer temperatures and heavy precipitation occurred in the High Plains this week. Due to the heavy rain, exceptional drought (D4) and extreme drought (D3) conditions in southwest Kansas were reduced in areal coverage on the U.S. Drought Monitor. Southeast Kansas saw improvement from severe drought (D2) to moderate drought (D1) conditions and the central parts of the Dakotas improved from D1 to abnormally dry (D0) conditions. D0 conditions were also removed in northwest and southeast Kansas, southern Nebraska, and southern North Dakota. However, continued dryness prompted the northward expansion of D3 in southern Colorado while D1 areas of central North Dakota and southeast Nebraska expanded as well.

Welcomed rain improved soil and crop conditions this week. According to the USDA’s Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin, heavy rains replenished subsoil and topsoil moisture in parts of Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming. Pasture conditions improved by 2% in North Dakota, 3% in South Dakota, and 4% in Wyoming; however, conditions worsened by 3% in Colorado and 2% in Nebraska. The percent of winter wheat in poor to very poor conditions by state is as follows: Colorado (19%), Kansas (47%), Nebraska (7%), and South Dakota (11%). 

The Climate Prediction Center’s 6-10 day outlook heavily favors above-normal temperatures for the entire High Plains region with chances of above-normal precipitation possible in the Dakotas, Wyoming, northern Colorado, western Kansas, and most of Nebraska. The 7-day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast indicates a likelihood of precipitation in most of the High Plains region with the greatest amounts expected in central Nebraska, southeast South Dakota, and southern North Dakota.