High Plains Weekly Drought Update - July 4, 2019

Beneficial precipitation continued to ease drought conditions in North Dakota this past week. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, northwest North Dakota experienced reductions to severe drought (D2), moderate drought (D1), and abnormally dry (D0) conditions this past week after 4-6 inches of rain fell. Meanwhile, drier conditions existed east of this area, so D0 conditions were expanded in northeast North Dakota, while a slight expansion of D1 occurred in north central part of the state.  

The emergence of soybeans continued to stray slightly behind the 5-year average this past week throughout the High Plains, according to the USDA Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin. Winter wheat harvest began this past week in several states. In Kansas, harvest was behind, having harvested only 28 percent of the crop compared to the- 5-year average of 61 percent. Crop conditions throughout the region were similar to last week. Subsoil and topsoil moisture rated short to very short increased slightly throughout the High Plains except for North Dakota, which saw improvements in soil moisture conditions due to beneficial precipitation this past week.

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