As of April 29, the Drought Monitor showed 56% of the U.S. was covered by abnormal dryness/drought, down three percentage points from the previous week. USDA estimated D1-D4 drought conditions covered 23% of the U.S. winter wheat crop (down 10 points), 20% of corn area (down six points), 15% of soybeans (down six points), 37% of spring wheat (down 12 points) and 21% of cotton production areas (unchanged).
Across major corn, soybean, wheat and cotton states, dryness/drought covered 50% of Iowa (no D3 or D4), 33% of Illinois (no D3 or D4), 14% of Indiana (no D3 or D4), 75% of Minnesota (no D3 or D4), 98% of Nebraska (6% D3, no D4), 100% of South Dakota (3% D3, no D4), 69% of North Dakota (4% D3, no D4), 80% of Kansas (no D3 or D4), 61% of Colorado (4% D3, no D4), 64% of Texas (26% D3 or D4), 33% of Oklahoma (no D3 or D4), 7% of Tennessee (no D3 or D4), 32% of Wisconsin (no D3 or D4) and 21% of Michigan (no D3 or D4). No measurable dryness/drought was reported for Ohio, Kentucky or Arkansas.
The Seasonal Drought Outlook calls for drought to persist or develop across much of the northern/western Corn Belt and Northern Plains through July. Drought conditions are expected to improve or disappear for most areas in the Southern Plains. Aside from far northern Illinois and far southern Wisconsin, most of the eastern Corn Belt will be drought-free.
