Drought Early Warning Update for the Midwest U.S.

Key Points

• Most of the Midwest region has been much drier than normal in the past 4 to 6 weeks, which includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin (Figure 1). 
• 27% of the region is considered abnormally dry, with 9% of the region in drought—primarily across Missouri and western Iowa, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The moderate to extreme (D1–D3) drought in Missouri has developed since mid-April.
• USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service reports increasingly dry topsoil (Figure 2), poor pasture conditions in Missouri, and limited moisture for newly planted crops. There are also reports of lower-than-normal streamflow and increased watering needs for gardens, perennials, and young trees. Reports on current conditions can be viewed through the Drought Impacts Multi-Tool (Figure 3).
• The 8–14 day outlook indicates a strong possibility for above-normal temperatures and chances for below-average precipitation across the Midwest (Figures 4–6).
• There is concern that the forecasted weather will likely worsen already dry conditions and potentially—and quickly—induce drought in some areas. Hotter temperatures will extract more moisture from the surface through evapotranspiration, and in the absence of additional rainfall, conditions can dry out very quickly.

As conditions evolve, accurate reports on conditions and drought impacts are critical to accurately assess what parts of the region are in drought and what parts are not. Whether your area is currently wet, close to normal, or dry, please consider reporting conditions and any drought impacts you see or hear via the Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) from the National Drought Mitigation Center. If you are already a CoCoRaHS observer, we encourage you to submit a Condition Monitoring Report.

Report Impacts