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Drought Conditions in the High Plains Region - Update October 4

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Source/Author: Joseph Brum - High Plains Regional Climate Center 10/04/12

U.S. Drought Monitor-October 2, 2012

Image © National Drought Mitigation Center

Year-to-date total precipitation percent of normal for the High Plains Region

Image © High Plains Regional Climate Center

Drought conditions continue to get worse due to the lack of precipitation in the High Plains Region. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, there was another slight increase in the total area of moderate drought (D1) or worse conditions in the Region. The area of D1 or worse now totals 99.62%, with only a small area in northwestern Wyoming being in the abnormally dry (D0) category. Conditions continue to worsen in South Dakota, with an expansion of exceptional drought (D4) this week in the southern half of the state. The area of D4 now totals 27.00% of the South Dakota, a 20% jump from last week.  The area of D4 also expanded in Nebraska along the South Dakota border. This week 77.61% of Nebraska is in D4 type drought.  Expansion of D4 has also occurred in the eastern portions of Wyoming. This area now totals 7.64% of Wyoming, the largest area the state has had since the spring of 2005. In Colorado, conditions have slightly improved this past week, with the central portion of the state improving 1 category. Kansas has been the bright spot this week with its recent rains. Eastern Kansas had a one category improvement; the area of D4 decreased almost 7%, to now total 44.73% of the state.   To learn more about the U.S. Drought Monitor, please see: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu

This week North Dakota saw the drought conditions worsen in all parts of the state. The entire state is now in a moderate drought (D1) or worse condition. There was an expansion of severe drought (D2) in the eastern third of the state and along the Canadian border. D2 or worse conditions now occupy 51.00% of the state.  Check out the table below for the drought conditions over the past month for North Dakota. For more on the drought situation in North Dakota check out this site: http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/drought/

To view more statistics of the High Plains Region and each state check out the Tabular Statistics here: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_highplains.htm

 

                  Drought Condition (Percent Area): North Dakota

 Date

 None

 D0-D4

 D1-D4

 D2-D4

 D3-D4

  D-4
 10/02/2012   
 0.00   
 100.00   
 100.00   
 51.00  
 4.78   
 0.00 
 09/25/2012
  0.00
  100.00
  94.90  28.49  4.78  0.00
 09/18/2012
  0.00  100.00  87.57

 28.34

  0.00  0.00
 09/11/2012
  0.00  100.00  80.41  28.34  0.00  0.00
 09/04/2012
  6.80  93.20  57.65  20.25  0.00  0.00
 08/28/2012
  8.98  91.02  39.36  17.30  0.00  0.00

 

 

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