High Plains Weekly Drought Update - August 27, 2020

Drought conditions across Colorado deteriorated this past week, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Exceptional drought (D4) was introduced in a small patch of the east-central part of the state after hot and dry conditions continued to prevail. Extreme drought (D3) expanded across western portions of the state, while severe drought (D2) expanded across northern and central areas. At this time, approximately 98% of the state is experiencing drought (D1-D4). Wildfires continued to rage across the western parts of the state. Elsewhere across the High Plains, minor degradations and improvements also occurred.
 
According to the August 25th USDA Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin, pasture conditions improved in several states but continued to degrade in Wyoming and Colorado. The percent of pastureland rated poor to very poor was 72% in Wyoming and 64% in Colorado. Soybean conditions across the High Plains were in good shape. Corn conditions were, for the most part, faring well across the region except for Colorado, where 37% of corn was rated as being in poor or very poor condition. Topsoil and subsoil moisture rated as being short to very short was above 80% in both Colorado and Wyoming.
 
The Climate Prediction Center’s 6-10 day outlook has increased chances for below-normal temperatures across the entire High Plains region. The precipitation outlook was mixed, however. Increased chances for above-normal precipitation are present across central and eastern Kansas, southeast Nebraska, and north-central Wyoming, while increased chances for below-normal precipitation are present in the Dakotas, Colorado, southern Wyoming, western Kansas, and western Nebraska. The National Weather Service’s 7-day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast predicts that some precipitation could occur across much of the region, with the greatest amounts possible in eastern Kansas.