June 27, 2002
Drought Worsens Across Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb. - The drought is spreading eastward and deepening in already hard hit areas, University of Nebraska climatologists say.
Little or no rain in most of southeast and east central Nebraska has created abnormally dry conditions there, and more of the Panhandle and southwestern Nebraska have slipped into an extreme drought, said Al Dutcher, NU's state climatologist.
Outside of extreme northeast Nebraska, most of the state has received less than 50 percent of normal precipitation in June, with many locations in southeastern Nebraska close to setting records for the driest June.
With little chance of any rain falling in the next two weeks, the U.S. Drought Monitor map updated today (June 27) shows most of Nebraska, except a small portion in northeast Nebraska, as abnormally dry or in drought, said Mark Svoboda, climatologist at the National Drought Mitigation Center in NU's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The center produces the weekly Drought Monitor map in cooperation with federal agencies. The U.S. Drought Monitor updated weekly is available at U.S. Drought Monitor.
"And the situation is much worse than what is seen on the monitor," Dutcher said. "The conditions I experienced by visiting fields already show most of southeast and east central Nebraska in a moderate drought."
High temperatures and high winds are exaggerating crops' water demands.
"Corn has been in stress conditions for well over a week," Dutcher said. "The leaves are rolling by mid-morning. Corn going into conservation mode that early in the day is an ominous sign."
As the drought continues to move eastward, dryland crops will rapidly deteriorate and dry up along with rangeland and pastures, Svoboda said.
"Until June came around (eastern Nebraska) was around normal for the year," Svoboda said. "We've taken a rapid tumble in June and the first two weeks of July are forecasted to be hotter and drier than normal as well."
Soil moisture also is nearly depleted, Svoboda said.
"Basically its at the point where there is no moisture up take (available) for the plant," Dutcher said.
The only good thing is the soil surface is cracked in some places down to 8 inches. This severe soil cracking and separation means moisture from any rain would more easily infiltrate into the upper soil profile, Dutcher said.
06/27/02-SA
Al Dutcher
School of Natural Resource Sciences
State Climatologist
(402) 472-5206
Mark Svoboda
National Drought Mitigation Center
Climatologist
(402) 472-8238
Sandi Alswager Karstens IANR News and Photography (402) 472-3030
Department: School of Natural Resource Sciences
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