Widespread and locally heavy rain storms in the central Plains and Midwest capped four weeks of an easing in the extent and severity of drought across the nation, said the Drought Monitor. Some 35.33 percent of the 48 contiguous states are in drought, nearly 3 points less than the May 20 rating of 38.12 percent. Persistent storms poured from 3-8 inches of rain on areas from eastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota into northern Iowa and southern Minnesota.
As an example of the improvement, the Monitor said only 9 percent of corn in Kansas rated as poor or very poor while 63 percent of the earlier-maturing winter wheat crop, now being harvested, was poor or very poor. Meanwhile, “drought conditions prevailed or intensified from California into the central and southern Rockies.”
The Ag In Drought site showed the differing outlook for winter wheat, grown mostly in the southern and central Plains vs corn and soybeans, planted predominantly in the Midwest. Some 48 percent of winter wheat is in drought, little changed from 52 percent a month ago. Only 16 percent of corn and 11 percent of soybeans were in drought areas. A month ago, 25 percent of corn and 19 percent of soybeans was affected by drought.