Connecting Ag to Climate: Recent and Current Conditions

Wyoming experienced its 62^nd coldest and 31^st driest January out of 130 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information database, retrieved Feb. 21. 

Scaling to the county level, the adjacent tables include temperature and precipitation rankings of select counties for the month of January.

The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) map for Wyoming, released Feb. 15, classifies over 56 percent of Wyoming as being abnormally dry (D0) or experiencing severe drought (D2). 

The remainder of the state – nearly 44 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/usdm-wy. Consider submitting a Condition Monitoring Observer Report at bit.ly/condtionreports.

Eight- to 14-day and one-month forecasts

NOAA’s eight- to 14-day forecast for Feb. 28 through March 5, issued Feb. 20, shows a 33 to 40 percent probability of below normal temperatures for the western quarter of Wyoming, and a 33 to 40 percent probability for above normal temperatures for the eastern quarter of the state. 

For the remainder of Wyoming, there is an equal chance for below, near or above normal temperature. For the same timeframe, there is a 33 to 40 percent probability for above average precipitation for all of Wyoming.

The one-month forecast for March, issued Feb. 15, indicates a 33 to 40 percent probability for above normal temperatures for most of Wyoming. 

The exception is the greater southeastern corner of the state where there is an equal chance for below, near or above normal temperatures. For the same timeframe, the forecast shows a 33 to 50 percent probability for above average precipitation for nearly all of Wyoming. 

The northern border of the state is the exception with an equal chance for below, near or above normal precipitation. 

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.