US central Plains drought expanded markedly this past week, with little relief in the immediate forecast.
The latest weekly US drought monitor Thursday showed about 60% of the central Plains region – which includes the top winter wheat production state of Kansas - impacted by some form of drought as of Tuesday (see map below). That is up from 44% a week earlier, 27% last year and the highest since late February 2023. Almost 96% of the region is now considered abnormally dry, up about 7 points from the previous week and less than half (43%) a year ago.
In fact, the only Plains areas free of abnormal dryness and drought are central and eastern North Dakota, a few parts of southwestern Nebraska and western Kansas, northeastern Colorado, and parts of southern and western Colorado.
According to the monitor, dryness and drought expanded following the second consecutive week of warm and almost “bone dry” weather.
Meanwhile, another week of dry or mostly dry weather is in store for the Plains – as well as the American Midwest - during the coming week, World Weather said in a report today. Some light showers are expected over the weekend and early next week, but the amounts will be too light to significantly impact long-term soil conditions.
An estimated 47% of the US winter wheat production area was being impacted by some form of drought as of Tuesday, up 3 points from a week earlier but still 3 points lower than last year.
