US drought coverage in the Lower 48 states fell to 44% during the week ending November 3, with heavy rain improving conditions in the West and Plains, but dry weather spreading drought across the southern Corn Belt and Lower Mississippi Valley, threatening agricultural production.
- Drought coverage dropped from 49.49% to 43.98% of the contiguous US, with extreme or exceptional drought falling from 9.36% to 8.2%
- Minnesota saw the sharpest improvement with drought declining from 62.59% to 27.78% after receiving 1.5 inches of unusually heavy rainfall
- The southern Corn Belt deteriorated significantly, with Kentucky drought rising from 16.25% to 37.02% and Illinois from 29.26% to 37.73%
- The Lower Mississippi Valley remains the drought center with exceptional drought covering 39.72% of Arkansas and 16.13% of Louisiana
- Agricultural impacts are severe: 84% of rice, 48% of winter wheat and hay, and 38% of cattle production areas are in drought conditions
Drought coverage in the Lower 48 states fell to 44% during the week ending Nov. 3, as heavy rain eased conditions in the West and Plains, while dry, warm weather spread drought across the Ohio and Lower Mississippi valleys according to the latest according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor. The U.S. Drought Monitor is 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.
The U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday puts 43.98% of the contiguous U.S. in moderate drought or worse, down from 49.49% a week earlier. The area in extreme or exceptional drought fell to 8.2% from 9.36%. Brad Pugh of the Climate Prediction Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration wrote the accompanying summary. The map is produced with the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
More than an inch of rain from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2 brought a one-category improvement to the Southwest and Great Basin, and the remnants of Hurricane Vance brought rain to western and central Texas. Minnesota had the sharpest change: the share of the state in drought fell from 62.59% to 27.78% after rainfall of 1.5 inches or more, which the summary called unusually heavy for this time of year.
The southern Corn Belt moved the other way. Growing 30- to 60-day precipitation deficits and declining soil moisture brought one-category declines in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. Drought now covers 37.02% of Kentucky, up from 16.25%, and 37.73% of Illinois, up from 29.26%. In Missouri, extreme or exceptional drought grew to 21.57% of the state from 16.63%.
The Lower Mississippi Valley remains the center of the most severe drought. Rain deficits of more than 4 inches during the past 60 days and temperatures 6 to 10 degrees above normal since early September have rapidly intensified drought there, according to the summary. Exceptional drought, the most severe category, now covers 39.72% of Arkansas and 16.13% of Louisiana. Mississippi reports include poor to very poor pastures and dry farm ponds.
Low water is also weighing on barge traffic. American Commercial Barge Line began its low water protocol and surcharges after the Memphis gauge reached 0 feet Oct. 25, and in its Nov. 2 river conditions update the company said tow sizes on the Lower Mississippi were cut by 13%, or five barges.bargeacbl
The U.S. Department of Agriculture weekly Agriculture in Drought summary estimates 19% of corn and 28% of soybean production areas are in drought, along with 48% of winter wheat, 48% of hay and 38% of cattle. Rice remains the most exposed crop at 84%, up from 53% a year ago.usda
The coming week offers little relief for the dry areas. A much drier pattern is forecast for most of the Lower 48 through Nov. 9, and the National Weather Service 6- to 10-day outlook favors below-normal precipitation for the Northern and Central Plains, Midwest and Northeast from Nov. 10 to 14, with above-normal temperatures across nearly the entire contiguous U.S. The summary also said more improvement may be added in Oklahoma next week, after rain that fell Nov. 2 is fully assessed.
