Summary
In the webinar I discussed the current conditions and why this summer could be trouble for much of the region. During the first ~12 minutes, I discussed the ongoing drought conditions across the Western Corn Belt and Central Plains, the wetter conditions in the Southern Plains and Eastern Corn Belt, soil moisture, rapid loss of snow in the Rockies, and variation in rangeland conditions across the West. During the remaining 20 minutes, I delve first into the near-term forecast, which is more promising for moisture in the Central/Northern Plains and Corn Belt. Then I discuss why June may be quite dry in the central U.S. and why the "Grand Forks 95F rule" could mean trouble later in the summer for much of the middle of the country.
Figure 1. Current VegDRI map
