Amount of winter wheat area in drought remains steady

The amount of winter wheat area in drought conditions remained constant at 65%, according to this week’s U.S. Drought Monitor.  USDA reported 24% of the winter wheat area is in moderate drought, 22% in severe drought, 17% in extreme drought and 2% in exceptional drought. The previous week, USDA said 20% of the winter wheat area was in moderate drought, 28% in severe drought, 14% in extreme drought and 3% in exceptional drought.

There was some deterioration in the HRW growing areas of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Worsening conditions in Kansas were near the Oklahoma border. Kansas had a two percentage point increase to 75% of the state considered abnormally dry/drought conditions.

Oklahoma held steady with 95% of the state considered abnormally dry/drought.  Texas reported 92% of its area in abnormally dry/drought conditions, up five points from the previous week.

According to the drought monitor, central and western portions of Texas and Oklahoma, deterioration was not as widespread and there were some small, scattered areas of improvement. However, most of central and western Texas, the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles, and central Oklahoma recorded 25 percent of normal precipitation or less for the past 60 days.

In the SRW growing area, Missouri, Tennessee and Illinois saw improvements in drought conditions.  Missouri was down 14 points to 36% of the state considered abnormally dry/drought conditions. Tennessee has 13% of the state considered abnormally dry/drought conditions, down 11 points. Illinois has 11% of the state considered abnormally dry/drought conditions, down seven points.