The October 21st drought monitor shows 72% of the U.S. is experiencing abnormal dryness or drought, down 2% from the previous week, with 46.1% in D1 level drought or higher, up .3%.
Precipitation was highly variable across the lower 48 this past week. Drought improvement was seen after plentiful rains in the mid-south and Ohio River Valley regions. Solid rains also came to portions of Wyoming and the western Dakotas to alleviate some stress. Areas not receiving adequate rainfall, notably portions of Minnesota, did see some small increase in dry conditions.
Currently 32% of corn acres are in D1-D4 drought (up 1%), with 39% of soybean acres (unchanged), and 43% of winter wheat acres (down 2%) also impacted. For livestock, 27% of the U.S.cattle herd is in D1-D4 drought conditions (unchanged), with 35% of dairy cattle also in drought (down 5%).
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Drought in Select Row Crop States (%) | ||||||
| State | None | D0-D4 | D1-D4 | D2-D4 | D3-D4 | D4 |
| Arkansas | 16.93 | 83.07 | 44.61 | 14.39 | 0 | 0 |
| Colorado | 52.59 | 47.41 | 29.19 | 13.49 | 1.3 | 0 |
| Iowa | 35.99 | 64.01 | 4.61 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Illinois | 1.99 | 98.01 | 87.71 | 28.66 | 1.59 | 0 |
| Indiana | 25.81 | 74.19 | 41.73 | 15.64 | 3.93 | 0 |
| Kansas | 71.68 | 28.32 | 9.21 | 0.49 | 0 | 0 |
| Kentucky | 86.57 | 13.43 | 2.76 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 35.46 | 64.54 | 22.32 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Minnesota | 30.69 | 69.31 | 48.8 | 25.98 | 3.5 | 0 |
| Montana | 97.15 | 2.85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| North Dakota | 65.22 | 34.78 | 12.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nebraska | 24.91 | 75.09 | 33.54 | 18.78 | 10.3 | 0 |
| Ohio | 68.36 | 31.64 | 6.44 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| South Dakota | 51.07 | 48.93 | 18.87 | 0.88 | 0 | 0 |
| Tennessee | 10.94 | 89.06 | 42.59 | 15.03 | 6.06 | 0.29 |
| Texas | 30.71 | 69.29 | 10.85 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wisconsin | 16.93 | 83.07 | 44.61 | 14.39 | 0 | 0 |