Drought Monitor 3/7/17 - Central Plains Drought Growing Steadily; TN-AL-NC Drought Returns

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Southeast

Warmer than normal conditions dominated the region, with departures of 3-6 degrees above normal common throughout the region. Most of the region was drier than normal for the week, with the Florida peninsula being one of the driest areas. Not many changes were made this week. Abnormally dry conditions were introduced in portions of southern North Carolina into northern South Carolina. Over northern Alabama, severe drought conditions were improved to moderate drought as 2-3 inches of rain centered over Morgan County at the end of the week allowed for improvements. Over the last 30-60 days, the drought indicators are showing a rapid decline, and without additional rain, drought conditions are likely to expand and intensify in the region, especially as water demand increases as the transition to spring takes place.

Midwest

It was a fairly wet week over much of the Midwest with several frontal passages responsible for rain and thunderstorms. The area from southern Illinois into western Pennsylvania recorded the most rain, with some areas recording up to 3 inches. With the recent rains, abnormally dry conditions were removed over much of Indiana and portions of eastern Illinois and northern Kentucky. Areas of Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois remain dry over multiple timescales. Severe drought was introduced over central Missouri while moderate drought was expanded from northern Missouri into southern Iowa and more of western Illinois.

High Plains

A warm, windy, and dry week dominated the High Plains, with only scattered rain over the region. Conditions are drying out with the windy and warm weather and any moisture recently received has been evaporated quite rapidly. Abnormally dry conditions were expanded over southeast Nebraska and into eastern Kansas while moderate drought was expanded over eastern Kansas as well. In southwest and south-central Kansas, moderate and severe drought were expanded slightly this week too. This area will need to be monitored closely for further degradation if precipitation does not materialize.

South

Rains over southern Texas allowed for improvements to moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions. In northeast Texas and southern Louisiana, dry conditions allowed for the expansion of abnormally dry conditions as well as a slight expansion of moderate and severe drought along the Texas and Oklahoma borders. Over the last several weeks, impacts to agriculture and rangeland over Oklahoma due to drought increased quickly. Several deadly wildfires also brought hardships to the region. Any moisture in western Oklahoma was quickly evaporated with the warm and windy conditions. In response to the changing conditions, a new area of extreme drought was introduced into the panhandle of Oklahoma, with moderate and severe drought expanding as well in both the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles. Severe drought was expanded over northern and eastern Oklahoma too.

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http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/