US Drought Monitor and Summary, Nov. 28, 2017

On this week’s map, conditions continued to deteriorate in the region as a result of short-term precipitation deficits, below normal streamflow activity, and low soil moisture. Areas of Moderate Drought (D1) expanded in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma while areas of Severe Drought (D2) spread in northwestern Arkansas, southeastern Oklahoma, and northeastern Texas. An area of Extreme Drought (D3) was introduced in southwestern Arkansas where precipitation deficits (past 90 days) ranged from 10-to-12 inches. In this area, 28-day average streamflows are currently well below normal (1st to 9th percentile range). Furthermore, the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) is showing total column soil moisture lower than the 5th percentile. In the eastern half of Texas, short-term precipitation deficits (3-to-5 inches) during the past 30-to-60 days led to expansion of areas of Abnormally Dry (D0) and Moderate Drought (D1). According to the USDA, topsoil moisture is currently rated as 75 percent short to very short in Oklahoma while Texas is rated 67 percent short to very short. Overall, the region was dry during the past week, and average temperatures were near to slightly below normal across Louisiana, Mississippi, and eastern Texas while above average temperatures (5-to-14 degrees) were observed in western portions of Oklahoma and Texas. Read more at droughtmonitor.unl.edu.