Weekly High Plains Drought Update - June 14, 2018

It was another warm week for the High Plains, with dry conditions in the western part of the region and wet conditions in the east. This week’s US Drought Monitor depicts the greatest improvement in drought conditions in central to western Kansas where a large swath stretching from Hays to Greensburg was removed from extreme drought (D3) and severe drought (D2) conditions. Exceptional drought (D4) conditions were removed from southwestern Kansas and the area of D3 conditions in this region was reduced. Beneficial rains relieved drought conditions in the Dakotas as well, as areal coverage of D2 and D1 conditions was reduced in northern North Dakota and western South Dakota. However, degradations were made in northeastern South Dakota where areas of D2, D1, and D0 conditions expanded southward and eastward. South central Wyoming and northwest Colorado also saw expansions of D1 and D0 conditions. D3 conditions expanded to the northeast in east-central Kansas.

Subsoil and topsoil moisture continued to decline in parts of the region this week in the High Plains, while other areas saw slight improvements. These changes, in part, affected crops conditions. For instance, winter wheat conditions degraded slightly in Nebraska and South Dakota but improved in Kansas. Pasture conditions improved in the majority of the High Plains but degraded slightly in Colorado and South Dakota. Corn crop has been faring well, with the following percentages of the crop in good to excellent condition per state: Colorado (85%), Kansas (60%), Nebraska (86%), North Dakota (73%), and South Dakota (63%).

The Climate Prediction Center’s 6-10 day outlook favors above-normal temperatures in North Dakota, South Dakota, most of Nebraska, most of Kansas, and northern and western Wyoming. Above-normal precipitation is also favored in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Wyoming while below-normal precipitation is likely in North Dakota.  The 7-day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast indicates the likelihood of precipitation throughout most of the High Plains, with the greatest amounts expected in areas of drought in Colorado and South Dakota due to the remnants of this week’s tropical storm west of Mexico.