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Drought Conditions in the High Plains Region - Update October 18

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Source/Author: Joseph Brum - High Plains Regional Climate Center 10/18/12

U.S. Drought Monitor-October 16, 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

With recent precipitation, some areas in the High Plains Regions saw improvement in drought conditions this week, but the areas in the Region that did not receive precipitation had condition remain the same, or in some cases slightly worsen. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, areas in southeastern Nebraska and much of eastern Kansas had a one category improvement in their drought conditions this week. The Region as a whole still has a total area of moderate drought (D1) remaining at 99.60%. With rainfall amounts of 3.0 inches or greater this past week in southeastern Nebraska, the extreme drought (D3) conditions improved one category and reduced the total D3 area by 2.5%. In South Dakota where there was little to no precipitation conditions continue to worsen. The area of D3 continues to expand in the eastern portion of the state; this area now totals 57.21% of the state. In Colorado there was a slight improvement in D3 drought over the central Rockies this week. The conditions in North Dakota and Wyoming remained the same as last week. To learn more about the U.S. Drought Monitor, please see: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu

The rain that fell this week improved the conditions in Kansas greatly. A majority of the eastern third of the state saw a one category improvement in the drought conditions. Also a small area in southwestern Kansas saw a one category improvement this week. The area of exceptional drought (D4) decreased almost 5% this week, to now total 39.68% of the state. The area of D3 decreased almost 18% to 77.80%, the lowest it has been in nearly 3 months. Check out the table below for the drought conditions over the past month for Kansas. For more on the drought situation in Kansas check out this site:  http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/wdl/drought/welcome.htm

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): Kansas

 Date

 None

 D0-D4

 D1-D4

 D2-D4

 D3-D4

  D-4
 10/16/2012   
 0.00   
 100.00   
 100.00   
 99.79  
 77.80   
 39.68
 10/09/2012
  0.00
  100.00
  100.00  100.00  95.70  44.63
 10/02/2012
  0.00  100.00  100.00

 100.00

  93.25  44.73
 09/25/2012
  0.00  100.00  100.00  100.00  88.34  51.04
 09/18/2012
  0.00  100.00  100.00  100.00  88.34  51.04
 09/11/2012
  0.00  100.00  100.00  100.00  88.34  60.61

 

 

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