The U.S. Drought Monitor for the week ending June 29 showed an easing of drought conditions from the Iowa/Missouri border through Wisconsin and Michigan, with some spotty drought improvement also noted in east-central Missouri into southwest Illinois. The Drought Summary details that a “stalled frontal boundary brought widespread, heavy rain (3 to 10-plus inches) and flash flooding to parts of the lower Midwest.”
But the Upper Midwest largely missed out on the heaviest rains, maintaining drought concerns. Today’s update shows 85.6% of Iowa is dealing with abnormal dryness or drought, a 6.9-point retreat from the week prior, with improvement generally in southern areas of the state and its northeast corner. More than two-thirds of the state is still dealing with moderate or severe drought.
Southern Minnesota saw just spotty drought improvement over the past week. All of the state is dealing with abnormal drought or dryness, and 82.1% of that area is classified as moderate or severe drought. Today’s update points out that as of June 27 USDA reports 75% of the state’s topsoil moisture is short to very short, “meaning that it’s significantly less than what is required for normal plant development.”
The same frontal boundary that brought moisture to the lower Midwest also brought widespread rains to eastern areas of Kansas and Nebraska, with North Dakota also seeing some improvement in short-term rainfall deficits. That said, 100% of the state is impacted by abnormal dryness or drought, 90.9% of which is classified as severe or worse.
“In areas which missed out on the heaviest rain, drought continues to impact the region with cattle producers feeling the brunt of the impacts,” today’s update notes, adding that producers from Wyoming to the Dakotas are having to make tough decisions regarding cattle, with many selling entire herds. Extreme drought worsened over the past week in South Dakota and Wyoming. Ninety-nine percent of South Dakota is impacted by drought/abnormal dryness, along with 97.6% of Wyoming.