Warm temperature dominated the High Plains this week, with departures ranging up to 20 degrees above normal, especially along the northern portions of the region, while cooler-than-normal temperatures were observed along the southern border.
Precipitation fell across the western and southern portions of the region this week; however, in most areas, amounts were insufficient for significant improvement. Beneficial heavy precipitation (1 to 3 inches) in eastern Colorado and Kansas led to improvements in moderate to severe drought and abnormal dryness in these areas.
Conversely, dry conditions resulted in the introduction and expansion of drought. Extreme drought was introduced in western Nebraska, and moderate to extreme drought expanded in western Colorado and eastern Nebraska.
Abnormal dryness also expanded in southern Wyoming this week.
Here are the rainfall totals for selected locations in the area:
• Hutchinson - .05"
• McPherson - .88"
• Lyons - .09"
• Pratt - .70"
• Newton - 1.52"
• Kingman - .76"
• Stafford - 1.03"
The U.S. Drought Monitor is jointly produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Map data courtesy of NDMC.