Drought Information

Some relief in the Eastern Divisions

Warm weather was felt in the last week, with the highest temperatures reported on the 18th.  Southwest KS saw 102 oF, adding further stress to the winter wheat.  Precipitation was less than average for all except the Southeastern Division, which saw an average of 2 inches of rainfall.  That equals 147 percent of normal for the week..

Changes in the Drought Monitor have been slight.  In the Eastern divisions, with normal to above normal precipitation  there has been improvement.  A small portion of East Central KS is actually near normal.  Extreme and Exceptional drought expanded in Southwestern KS, where moisture was very limited.  The latest Drought Outlook indicated some drought conditions are expected to improve.  Strongest signal for continued improvement is in the eastern third of the state.  In the western division, there may be some improvement, but impacts are expected to continue.  The El Niņo/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is expected to remain neutral, which reduces the skill in the forecast.  The jet stream is expected to shift northward. 

For June, the probability of below normal moisture is greater, and increases as you move south and west.  Temperatures are expected to be warmer than normal state-wide.  This combination increases the likelihood for intensification of drought conditions in the western half of the state.

Below are the latest Drought Monitor and Kansas Drought conditions.  Also shown are the Drought Outlook,  the June temperature and precipitation outlooks, the quantity of precipitation map for the next week and the EASAL vegetative condition map:
 

For additional information check out these links:

K-State Research & Extension Drought Information 

Wind Erosion Prevention from the Wind Erosion Lab:
   Soil Erosion by Wind and its Control                                                                
     An important article on the processes and economics of wind erosion, its causes and ways of control.
     In addition to the article, there are three videos illustrating the important ideas.

Weather For Burning
  NWS Topeka Fire Weather
   NWS Wichita Fire Weather
   NWS Dodge City Fire Weather
   National Fire Weather Information

State Fire Marshall Office

Current Drought Conditions
                   Kansas Water Office drought report (pdf)      5/17/2013

Agricultural Policy Information

Drought Decision Aids, Options, and Considerations for:

Crops
Livestock
Horticulture
Municipal and Home

USDA Article Covering All Four Aspects Mentioned Above 

How Do I Plan For A Drought?

Recent Topics:
Updated spreadsheets for Valuing Droughty Silage:
                                                              EXCEL version    2012