Agricultural News
Extreme Drought or Worse Improves Slightly Since Last week by Over 3 Percentage Points
Thu, 03 Nov 2022 09:25:24 CDT
Chances for rain in the next week remain, and after recent precipitation, drought in Oklahoma has improved slightly in some categories while remaining unchanged in others.
In Oklahoma, exceptional drought is relatively unchanged from last week’s 21.05 to this week’s 21.06.
Extreme drought or worse, is now at 66.7, down from last week’s 70.29 percent.
Severe drought or worse is at 97.43 percent, down from last week’s 99.82 percent.
Moderate drought or worse and abnormally dry or worse conditions remain unchanged from last week at 100 percent.
According to the 6-10-day precipitation map for Oklahoma through November 12, the panhandle and central Oklahoma are leaning above a 33-40 percent chance of precipitation. Parts of western Oklahoma are leaning above a 40-50 percent chance of precipitation. The southeastern part of the state shows a near-normal chance of precipitation, with the far corner leaning below a 33-40 percent chance.
To view the Oklahoma Drought Map, click here.
According to the latest U.S. drought monitor report, an active weather pattern over the Midwest to southern Plains brought the most precipitation to those areas this week. Warm and dry conditions dominated the northern Plains and the upper Midwest where some areas are experiencing “flash drought” conditions that are not as common this time of year. Dryness over the Southeast is starting to impact more of the region while an active pattern has started over portions of the Pacific Northwest, bringing some moisture over the western portions of the region. Temperatures were coolest over the West and southern Plains and warmest over the northern Plains and into New England.
To view the United States Drought Monitor Report, click here.
In the Southern Plains, welcome rains over north and south Texas, Arkansas, northern Louisiana and into southern Oklahoma helped to build on recent precipitation events in some of these areas. Portions of north Texas and into southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana recorded 200-400% of normal precipitation for the week. Southern Louisiana as well as west Texas and the Oklahoma panhandle remained dry. Cooler than normal temperatures through much of Texas and Oklahoma as well as western Arkansas and Louisiana helped to slow down further drought development for this week and even allowed for some improvements. A full category improvement to drought levels was made over northern Texas and into southeast Oklahoma. In Arkansas, extreme and severe drought were improved. Extreme drought was removed from Tennessee this week with improvements in the western portion of the state while abnormally dry conditions expanded in the central and northeast portion of the state. Louisiana had some adjustments to the severe drought in the south as the western portion improved but the area expanded to the east. Additional improvements were made to moderate and severe drought in east Texas and to abnormally dry conditions in south Texas.
In the High Plains, temperatures were well above normal over the northern and eastern portion of the High Plains and below normal in the west. Temperatures were 8-10 degrees above normal in the Dakotas and 2-4 degrees above normal in Nebraska and northern Kansas. Portions of Wyoming, Colorado and western Nebraska were cooler than normal with temperatures 2-4 degrees below normal. It was quite the dry week in the region as there were only a few pockets of rain in southeast South Dakota, northeast Nebraska and into north-central Kansas. Flash drought conditions are impacting the region, especially in the Dakotas where warm, dry and windy conditions have provide ideal harvest conditions but have started taking a toll on the region. In the Dakotas, a broad expansion of severe drought conditions took place this week. Moderate drought also expanded in eastern South Dakota and into southern portions of the state. Continued dryness over Kansas, where portions of southwest Kansas had their driest October on record, allowed for the expansion of extreme and exceptional drought this week. On the plains of Colorado, moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions continue to expand.
In the West, temperatures for the week were cooler than normal over most of the region, with departures of 4-6 degrees below normal over the southwest. Warmer than normal conditions were recorded in the Pacific Northwest as well as across the northern portion of the region where temperatures were 4-6 degrees above normal with some even greater departures in Montana. Wetter than normal conditions were recorded in the Pacific Northwest as well as in western Colorado, northern Oregon, and into northern Idaho. The continued wet pattern allowed for some improvements in northeast New Mexico to the moderate, severe, and extreme drought conditions even as long-term issues remain. Western Colorado had improvements to moderate and severe drought as the ongoing wet pattern and early snows have allowed for improvements. Washington received enough rain to start showing improvements to the moderate and severe drought in the west while northern portions of the state had moderate drought expand.
Looking ahead, temperatures for the week were cooler than normal over most of the region, with departures of 4-6 degrees below normal over the southwest. Warmer than normal conditions were recorded in the Pacific Northwest as well as across the northern portion of the region where temperatures were 4-6 degrees above normal with some even greater departures in Montana. Wetter than normal conditions were recorded in the Pacific Northwest as well as in western Colorado, northern Oregon, and into northern Idaho. The continued wet pattern allowed for some improvements in northeast New Mexico to the moderate, severe, and extreme drought conditions even as long-term issues remain. Western Colorado had improvements to moderate and severe drought as the ongoing wet pattern and early snows have allowed for improvements. Washington received enough rain to start showing improvements to the moderate and severe drought in the west while northern portions of the state had moderate drought expand.
To view the 6-10 Day Precipitation Outlook Map, click here.
To view the 6-10 Day Temperature Outlook Map, click here.
To view the Monthly Drought Outlook Map, click here.
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