US Drought Monitor and Summary, June 27, 2017

There was a mixed bag of precipitation totals across this region over the past week, ranging from nothing or very little in most of Oklahoma and parts of south central and west Texas to around 4-6 inches in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas thanks to Cindy. As expected, this led to improvements in some areas and rather widespread degradation in others. The 3-6 inches of rain in northwestern Louisiana effectively wiped out the dry region from Bienville to Caddo Parishes. Unfortunately, this past week’s rain was inadequate to ameliorate large deficits loom since the beginning of May in Oklahoma, with the prime rainy season (May through mid-June) disappointing for much of the state, especially central Oklahoma. With rapidly deteriorating conditions, abnormal dryness (D0) was introduced across large portions, with already existing moderate drought (D1) expanding in the central part of the state, where drier conditions were present.
Moderate drought was expanded to encompass more of Grady County, for example, reflecting reports of failed crops and inability to plan. Dry creek beds have been noted by locals in the western half of Roger Mills County. On-the-ground observations indicate that stock ponds are rapidly shrinking and grass is turning yellow. Local fire weather experts report that much of central Oklahoma began transitioning from live to dead fire fuel weeks ago. At least some rain fell across most of Texas over the past week, with 2 inches or more in parts of the southeast, central to north central, and north. Thus, the majority of the state remained status quo with respect to drought conditions.
Read more at droughtmonitor.unl.edu…