Short-term improvements in drought conditions for Midwestern states

Across the Midwest, widespread rain has fallen across several of the top corn-growing states for the week ending May 5. This has led to some alleviation of drought conditions in the western part of the region, however the long-term impacts of drought remains a concern.

Iowa

According to the National Drought Summary for May 7, Iowa was among the Midwestern states that received much-needed rainfall. The heavy rains in Iowa brought some short-term drought relief to the region, however, the summary explains that the latest drought monitor map still reflects widespread moderate and long-term drought impacts.

The latest drought monitor map for Iowa reflects a slight improvement in drought free acres from the previous week by 10%. Currently, 40% of the state is free from drought stress, 22% is abnormally dry, 18% is in D1 moderate drought, and the remaining 19% is in D2 severe drought. 

Because of the rainfall for the week ending May 5, farmers only had 1.4 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA Crop Progress report for Iowa. Soil moisture conditions have also benefited from precipitation over the past two weeks.

Both topsoil and subsoil moisture supplies were predominantly adequate, USDA reported. Topsoil moisture supplies were 4% very short, 12% short, 65% adequate, and 19% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were 7% very short, 20% short, 64% adequate, and 9% surplus.

Nebraska

Central and eastern Nebraska also received moderate to heavy rainfall, according to the National Drought Summary for May 7. The recent wet pattern has helped improve drought conditions across the state week-over-week.

According to the latest drought monitor map for Nebraska, 77% of the state is free from drought stress. This is a significant improvement from the start of the water year on Sept. 26, 2023, when 35% of the state’s acres were drought free. 

Although the majority of the state is now drought free, the National Drought Summary explains that parts of eastern Nebraska have seen “tempered” improvements in drought conditions because of “remaining long-term precipitation deficits and hydrologic impacts from those deficits.”

The drought monitor map released May 9 reflects this, showing that 14% percent of Nebraska is abnormally dry, and the remaining 10% is in D1 moderate drought.

As a result of the heavy rainfall, conditions have been “a little on the wet side for planting,” says Travis Gustafson, an Agronomic Service Representative for Syngenta Crop Protection. During the week of April 29, Gustafson says “there was really only one good day to return to field work before another rain shower moved through.”

Cool and wet soils are causing corn and soybeans that have emerged to be less vigorous that Gustafson says he would like to see it at this point. 

He says that it will be an interesting crop year in Nebraska because weather conditions have led to two different planting timings. The southern part of the state that hasn’t received rain is “basically done” with planting while “some of the big corn growing counties in Nebraska still have not hit 10% corn acres planted,” Gustafson says.

Kansas

While most of the Midwest has received much-needed rainfall, southwestern Kansas “mostly or completely missed out on recent rains,” according to the National Drought Summary for May 7.

As a result, dry weather conditions led to Dodge City, Kansas, tying its record for the driest April on record. The city received just 0.02 inches of precipitation. 

The National Drought Summary says that flash drought is continuing while severe and moderate short-term drought have expanded. The latest drought monitor map for Kansas further reflects the long-term impacts that drought has had on the state. Twenty-nine percent of the state is in D2 severe drought, 20% is in D2 moderate drought, 32% is abnormally dry, and the remaining 19% is free from drought stress.

Drought conditions have also had a negative impact on the state’s winter wheat crop, causing it to rank as the worst in the nation, according to the USDA Crop Progress report for the week ending May 5.