As of Oct. 25, nearly 63% of the U.S. is experiencing drought conditions. That’s more than a 3% increase from just last week, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. That’s also the highest it’s been since 2012.
At peak drought in 2021, around 65% of the country was in drought conditions.
While many areas of the western and central U.S. received some rains, “antecedent dryness led to another week of degradations for many not receiving rainfall, even in areas where temperatures were cooler than normal this week. Warm conditions and high winds further exacerbated conditions in drier areas across the Great Plains. Fortunately, in areas seeing the heaviest rainfall amounts, particularly across the Southern Plains and Ozarks, some improvements were also warranted.”
USDA estimates the following portions of U.S. crops are in drought areas:
- Winter wheat: 74%
- Corn: 70%
- Soybeans: 71%
- Cotton: 68%
- Sorghum: 80%
- Rice: 99%
- Hay: 69%
The U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook (valid from October 20, 2022 - January 31, 2023) calls for drought to persist in the Great Plains and Southeast. The persistence over the Great Plains is related in part to an increasingly dry climatology during the late fall and winter, while the forecast in the Southeast is consistent with typical La Niña impacts and the seasonal precipitation outlook.
