As of April 25, 46% of the U.S. was covered by abnormal dryness/drought, down one point from the previous week. USDA estimated 51% of U.S. winter wheat areas were covered by drought, up one point from the previous week. Drought coverage for winter wheat included 12% “moderate” (D1), 9% “severe” (D2), 11% “extreme” (D3) and 20% “exceptional” (D4).
In HRW areas, dryness/drought covered 89% of Kansas (60% D3 or D4), 56% of Colorado (5% D3, virtually no D4), 65% of Oklahoma (43% D3 or D4), 73% of Texas (17% D3 or D4), 99% of Nebraska (45% D3 or D4), 86% of South Dakota (0% D3 or D4) and 68% of Montana (0% D3 or D4).
For HRW areas, the Drought Monitor noted: “From central and western South Dakota southward through Kansas, the continued lack of substantial rainfall led to intensification over a relatively large part of these areas. In particular, D3 expanded through most of central Nebraska, and lesser expansion of D3 and D4 reported in central Kansas. To the west, conditions remained generally unchanged in eastern parts of Wyoming and Colorado, with deterioration (to D2) limited to a small area in southeastern Wyoming.”
Given this week’s rains, there should be a notable improvement in drought conditions in HRW areas in next week’s Drought Monitor. The rains will benefit some of the region, but came too late to greatly support wheat in the driest locations.
In SRW areas, dryness/drought covered 27% of Missouri, 4% of Illinois, 0% of Indiana, 0% of Ohio, 0% of Michigan, 0% of Kentucky and 0% of Tennessee. None of the drought in these SRW states is classified as D3 or D4.
USDA estimated drought covered 27% of corn production areas, 19% of soybeans and 13% of spring wheat.
For the Midwest, the Drought Monitor noted: “Most of the Midwest Climate Region remained free of dryness and drought, confined to areas from Minnesota southward through Missouri, plus a small patch in west-central Illinois. Declining conditions in Missouri and adjacent Iowa led to a broad expansion of moderate drought (D1) in a swath through the middle of Missouri, and a few smaller locales in adjacent areas. In contrast, moderate to heavy precipitation and significant snowmelt led to improvements from northern and western Iowa northward through southern Minnesota.”
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