Tropical Storm Arthur and related weather systems brought variable drought impacts across the nation’s agricultural heartland during the week ending June 20, with the Midwest maintaining favorable growing conditions while the High Plains faced continued challenges for winter wheat and rangeland. That's according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA.
Midwest shows strong crop conditions
The Midwest experienced mostly favorable conditions, with heavy rain grazing some of the lower region’s remaining drought areas and easing moderate to extreme drought, especially in Kentucky. The upper Midwest showed a mixed bag of spotty improvement and deterioration, with intensity ranging from abnormal dryness to severe drought.
Between the two areas, rather wet conditions existed. On June 21, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, statewide topsoil moisture was rated 43 percent surplus in Illinois, along with 36 percent in Missouri, 27 percent in Indiana, and 26 percent in Michigan.
The favorable moisture conditions translated to strong crop ratings. The USDA reported that roughly two-thirds of U.S. corn (68 percent) and soybeans (66 percent) were rated in good to excellent condition on June 21, reflecting mostly favorable Midwestern growing conditions.
A series of cold fronts sparked occasional showers and thunderstorms across the region, resulting in localized wind and hail damage but maintaining favorable soil moisture reserves for most summer crops.
High Plains winter wheat faces poor ratings
The High Plains region’s eastern states reported drought improvement or unchanged conditions, with a few exceptions. Streaks of heavy rain led to one-category improvement in a swath across central Nebraska and western and central Kansas. However, the rain arrived too late to help winter wheat and has only recently begun to revive drought-stricken rangeland and pastures.
With the winter wheat harvest well underway (40 percent complete nationally on June 21), 46 percent of the crop was rated in very poor to poor condition. More than one-half of the crop was rated very poor to poor in Nebraska (83 percent), Colorado (63 percent), and Kansas (55 percent).
The winter wheat harvest quickly advanced between showers, as the drought-affected crop dried down ahead of the normal pace.
On June 21, statewide rangeland and pastures were rated at least one-half very poor to poor in Nebraska (73 percent), Colorado (63 percent), and Wyoming (60 percent). In contrast to areas farther east, drought deterioration was observed in parts of Colorado and Wyoming.
Southern states receive relief
Heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Arthur and associated systems provided significant drought relief across the Deep South. Totals of 4 to 8 inches or more were common, with some locations receiving more than 8 inches. The western and central Gulf Coast regions became mostly drought-free following the deluge.
By June 21, statewide topsoil moisture in agricultural regions had increased to 35 percent surplus in Louisiana, 34 percent in Alabama, and 33 percent in Georgia, according to the USDA.
However, significant drought persisted in some areas, including portions of Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia. The USDA noted on June 21 that statewide pastures were rated 53 percent very poor to poor in both North Carolina and Virginia. North Carolina’s corn crop was rated 40 percent very poor to poor.
West faces elevated wildfire threat
Hot, dry weather in the West boosted irrigation demands and resulted in a broadly elevated wildfire threat. Drought deterioration was commonly observed across roughly the northern half of the region amid significantly above-normal temperatures and mounting water-supply concerns.
By June 24, at least a half-dozen active Western wildfires had burned more than 10,000 acres of vegetation, including three in Utah, two in Nevada, and one in Washington. The Iron Fire near Eureka, Utah, ignited on June 19 and quickly burned more than 37,000 acres of grass and chaparral.
