Connecting Ag to Climate: Recent and Current Conditions
Wyoming experienced its 10th warmest and 39th wettest September out of 129 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information database, retrieved Oct. 23.
Scaling to the county level, the adjacent tables include temperature and precipitation rankings of select counties for the month of September and precipitation for Water Year 2023 – Oct. 1, 2022 through Sept. 30.
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) map for Wyoming, released Oct. 19, classifies over 5.25 percent of western Carbon and eastern Sweetwater counties as being abnormally dry (D0) or experiencing moderate drought (D1).
The remainder of the state – nearly 95 percent – is classified as none. In other words, these areas are not experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions.
View the current USDM map at bit.ly/2S28VTA. Consider submitting a Condition Monitoring Observer Report at bit.ly/3c4WRLR.
Eight- to 14-day and
one-month forecasts
NOAA’s eight- to 14-day forecast for Nov. 1-7, issued Oct. 24, shows a 33 to 50 percent probability of above normal temperatures along the western border and southern half of Wyoming. Near normal temperatures are forecasted for the remainder of the state.
For the same timeframe, there is a 33 to 40 percent probability for above average precipitation for the northwestern corner of Wyoming, a 33 to 40 percent probability for below normal precipitation for the southeastern corner and near normal precipitation for the rest of the state.
The one-month forecast for November, issued Oct. 19, indicates a 33 to 50 percent probability for above normal temperatures for the western half and southern quarter of Wyoming. For the remainder of the state, there is an equal chance for below, near or above normal temperatures.
For the same timeframe, the forecast shows an equal chance for below, near or above normal precipitation for all of Wyoming.
For additional information and NOAA forecasts, visit cpc.ncep.noaa.gov.
Windy K. Kelley is the regional Extension program coordinator and state specialist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Northern Plains Climate Hub, the University of Wyoming Extension and WAFERx. She can be reached at wkelley1@uwyo.edu or 307-367-4380.
