Drought Monitor Update
As has been the case for the last several months, most of the state is in drought. The good news is that much of the western 1/3 of the state has received significant precipitation this month and conditions have improved to a less severe form of drought. The bad news is the drought is most of the state is in severe drought or worse. Furthermore, the drought is quickly getting worse in much of eastern Nebraska. The exception is across the far southeast where no drought or abnormal dryness currently exists. The map that was published this morning shows an expansion of severe drought (D2) into much of the Omaha metro area and an expansion of exceptional drought (D4) into Polk, Seward, and York counties. Expect this D4 line to move further east and south into the Lincoln area in the coming weeks if conditions don’t improve.
Month-to-date precipitation
Precipitation this month across the state has been bi-polar. Most places are either well above average (western and north central Nebraska) or well below average (east central Nebraska). In some cases in eastern Nebraska, the lack of precipitation is historic. For example, Omaha is having its driest May on record with only 0.17” and if Lincoln doesn’t pick up any measurable precipitation for the remainder of the month, it will be tied with 1934 for the driest May on record. Furthermore, the streak of days with less than an inch of precipitation falling in a calendar day is at fourth longest with 321 consecutive days. I expect Lincoln will break the 332-day threshold set in 1988 and move into third place before the streak ends. The longest such streak is 384 days which ended in November of 1975. Lincoln can break the record by this stretching out to July 26th.
Vegetation and Crop Condition Update
The latest QuickDRI map from earlier in the week matches up very well with the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map with the worst conditions overlapping the areas considered in Extreme and Exceptional drought. For those new to QuickDRI, it is a product developed by the University of Nebraska and a host of other institutions to determine rapid drying or flash drought. Check out the QuickDRI site at UNL to learn more.
Latest NASS statistics show some better news for Nebraska’s wheat than we have been seeing so far this spring. Winter wheat is around average for heading but a bit behind last year. The condition report shows that 36 percent is in the poor to very poor, which is slightly better than last week’s 39 percent in the poor/very poor categories. Perhaps as important, the percentage of wheat classified as good to excellent climbed from 17 percent to 32 percent. NASS doesn’t break down those stats to a county level but the positive changes in wheat condition are likely reflective of the recent precipitation in western Nebraska where winter wheat production is more concentrated. Further east though conditions for wheat are still bad. I’ve heard reports from other Extension personnel that some wheat in south-central and east-central Nebraska is being terminated early and used for grazing as it doesn’t have sufficient moisture to complete heading.
The latest NASS update revealed 87 percent of corn planted (near-average) with 60 percent emergence, which is a bit of ahead of schedule. 79 percent of soybean have been planted with 45 percent emerged. Both percentages are a bit ahead of schedule. NASS doesn’t release condition reports on these crops this early in the spring but if this weather continues, the first condition report from Nebraska won’t be very good.
Eric Hunt, University of Nebraska Extension and Nebraska State Climate Office