Drought Monitor shows slight rise in corn, soybean areas in drought

The June 4 drought monitor shows 77.6% of the U.S. experiencing abnormal dryness or drought, up 0.4% from the previous week, with 58.4% in D1 level drought or higher, down 2.4%. Currently 27% (up 2%) of corn acres are in D1-D4 drought with 28% (up 1%) of soybean acres, and 67% (down 2%) of winter wheat acres also impacted. For livestock, 57% (down 3%) of the U.S. cattle herd is in D1-D4 drought conditions with 35% (up 2%) of dairy cattle also in drought.

Another round of storms last week brought widespread drought reductions to the Southeast, with many locations across the Deep South ending the month of May with 150% to 300% of normal precipitation. Soaking rains overspread most of Texas during the week, promoting additional drought reductions, primarily across southern Texas and the Big Bend country. Rainfall also overspread eastern Oklahoma, but conditions worsened across the western half of the state which fared drier during the week. While light showers fell across portions of Minnesota, Iowa, and central Wisconsin and along the Ohio River Valley, mostly dry conditions prevailed for another week across the rest of the Midwest region. This dryness, combined with hot temperatures, continued to stress spring crops and reduce streamflows and topsoil moisture, prompting widespread deterioration on this week’s Drought Monitor despite longer term indices remaining more favorable. Stormy weather brought soaking rains across much of the High Plains, with the highest coverage and accumulations over Kansas and Nebraska. While beneficial, this precipitation competed during the week with much above-normal temperatures, which maintained high evapotranspirative demands. Accordingly, areas that missed out on significant rainfall, including portions of the Dakotas and far northern Nebraska, experienced some degradation, while reductions were noted across much of Kansas and eastern Nebraska.

The National Weather Service 7-day forecast expects drier conditions across much of the East, with daily temperatures quickly warming to above-normal. A storm system now over the Plains will progress slowly eastward, bringing a potential for much needed rainfall across the upper Midwest and Great Lakes region. Forecasts show amounts potentially exceeding 1.5 inches across much of Iowa and far southwestern Wisconsin, but lighter amounts elsewhere will likely be insufficient to overcome the high demands coming from much above-normal temperatures and summer agriculture, especially across Illinois, Indiana, and northern Minnesota, NWS said.

Click here to view related maps.

Drought in Select Row Crop States (%)