High Plains Weekly Drought Update - June 20, 2019

Drought conditions continued to change this week in the High Plains, with improvements in Wyoming and degradations in North Dakota. Conditions continued to worsen for North Dakota this past week according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Severe drought (D2) conditions were introduced and the expansion of moderate drought (D1) and abnormally dry (D0) conditions occurred in northern North Dakota after mounting precipitation deficits and reported impacts to agriculture and livestock. Meanwhile, D0 conditions were removed from northern and southwestern Wyoming after ample precipitation in the past few weeks.

Favorable conditions this past week allowed for several suitable days for fieldwork, but the emergence of corn and soybeans still strayed behind. The National Agricultural Statistics Service released a report this week stating the emergence of both corn and soybeans is the lowest since records began in 1998.

The Climate Prediction Center’s 6-10 day outlook has increased chances for above-normal temperatures for the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, and central and eastern portions of Wyoming and Colorado, while western Colorado and western Wyoming have increased chances for below-normal temperatures. Increased chances of above-normal precipitation are present in North Dakota, northern South Dakota, and northwestern Wyoming, however increased chances of below-normal precipitation are present in Colorado, northern South Dakota, and much of Kansas, Nebraska, and Wyoming. According to the 7-day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast, precipitation is likely throughout most of the High Plains, with the greatest amounts expected in eastern Kansas and southeastern Nebraska.