USDM reports ongoing drought conditions through the month of October

Although the first snow of the season in parts of Wyoming and other Western states was heavier and wetter than usual, the month of October saw drought conditions worsen significantly across much of the U.S., according to the National Drought Mitigation Center’s (NDMC) October 2024 Drought Climate Summary, published on Nov. 8. 

“Abnormal dryness and drought covered 87.16 percent of the contiguous U.S. as of Oct. 29 – the highest amount recorded by the NDMC as of the map published that week,” the summary reads. 

“With a few exceptions, one- or two-category degradations covered most of the Midwest, High Plains and Southern regions. Localized three-category degradations occurred in Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming and the lower peninsula of Michigan, as a very dry weather pattern covered much of the central and eastern U.S. for most of October,” the report continues. 

Conditions across the High Plains

According to NDMC, states located in the High Plains Region were both warmer and drier than usual during the month of October, with many locations reporting temperatures three to nine degrees above normal.

“Compared to normal, the driest areas were north-central Colorado, southeast and northwest Wyoming, western and northern Nebraska, central and eastern South Dakota, most of North Dakota and northwest, southwest and southeast Kansas,” NDMC explains.

“Many locations in the Dakotas, northern and western Nebraska, north-central Colorado, southeast Wyoming and southwest Kansas reported less than 25 percent of normal precipitation for October,” NDMC continues. “Above normal precipitation occurred in much of southern Colorado, especially in the San Juan Mountains, where early-season snows occurred.”

Because of this, drought in the High Plains mostly expanded or stayed the same during the month of October, with only a few parts of Colorado seeing any improvement.

NDMC reports one-category improvements were seen across most of southern Colorado, as well as in the northwest corner of the state. 

On the other hand, one-category degradations occurred across eastern Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and northern Colorado, while two-category degradations spanned large areas of Nebraska, South Dakota, parts of Wyoming, northern Colorado, Kansas and North Dakota. 

“Abnormal dryness or worse coverage grew from 78.55 to 88.53 percent. Moderate drought or worse coverage grew from 43.88 to 74.46 percent. Severe drought or worse coverage grew from 14.96 to 44.81 percent, and extreme drought or worse coverage grew from 3.1 to 11.7 percent,” the report reads.

Additionally, exceptional drought developed in eastern Wyoming in early October and covered 0.16 percent of the region. 

Wildfires scorch the Midwest

Ongoing widespread drought conditions had a large impact on the nation’s agriculture industry, with fires, water restrictions and poor harvests devastating producers in numerous states. 

While Idaho, Montana and Wyoming battled devastating wildfires through the months of August and September, the Midwest took a hit from the flames during October. 

According to the NDMC’s October 2024 Drought Impacts Summary, also published on Nov. 8, fires in western North Dakota engulfed oil fields, ag lands, grasslands and the Badlands, causing one death and hundreds of evacuations. 

“Wind gusts ranging from 57 to 75 miles per hour drove the wildfire across dry areas, killing livestock as well,” the report notes. “Over the weekend of Oct. 5-6, the North Dakota Forest Service responded to 33 fires burning 77 square miles. The extent of the wildfires may be one of the worst in the state’s history, according to North Dakota Adjutant General Mitch Johnson.”

Additionally, three wildfires popped up in the Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota, and over 1,500 acres of the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri were scorched in late October. 

“Other Midwestern states implemented precautionary measures to avoid wildfires due to dry conditions,” NDMC explains. “In eastern Nebraska, some crop harvests were delayed to minimize the risk of field fires. Corn and soybeans contained an unusually low amount of moisture, and fires could easily spark due to machinery. Other burn bans in the Midwest were found in Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.”

Several states experience water supply shortages

NDMC notes drought conditions cause the ground to constrict, which was the likely cause of water line breaks in Cape Girardeau, Mo. and Beaumont, Texas during the month of October. 

Texas, West Virginia and parts of the Midwest also experienced low water supplies. 

The Auburn Board of Public Works issued a water warning early in the month to residents in southeastern Nebraska and imposed several restrictions for lawn watering, filling swimming pools, water wastage and other outdoor water use. 

“Just across the Missouri River, stage four water conservation measures were implemented in Shenandoah, Iowa later in the month,” NDMC says. “The restrictions prohibited non-commercial irrigation and outdoor cleaning.”

Low reservoir and river levels caused water restrictions in parts of Texas, where residents were prohibited from wasting water and only allowed to use sprinklers once a week. 

Producers face poor harvests

Drought conditions also contributed to low crop yield and poor pasture conditions across much of the U.S. throughout October. 

According to the NDMC, New Jersey producers saw 30 to 80 percent crop losses this season, with cranberries, corn and soybeans taking the hardest hit. The state also saw low honey and apple production. 

In Pennsylvania, fruit and Christmas trees were stressed by lack of rain, and corn and soybean yields were less than half of normal. 

Soybean quality and quantity were also affected in Ohio, and apple orchards in central Ohio saw smaller apples than usual and early ripening due to insufficient water. Some apple farms in the area closed early due to low production. 

In Wisconsin, farmers harvested soybeans almost four weeks early and corn two weeks early. Yield and quality of both crops suffered due to drought. 

In Texas, livestock producers already started to feed hay because pasture conditions are so poor.

“Supplemental feeding was widespread across Texas as pastures deteriorated, with reports coming from the southeast, east, central, south, Panhandle, west central, southwest and north regions of the state throughout the month,” NDMC notes. “Farmers delayed planting winter forages such as ryegrass and oats due to dry soil. In southwest Texas, dry stock tanks meant producers needed to haul water for livestock, while ranchers culled their herds in southern Texas due to the dry conditions.” 

Likewise, producers in southeast Nebraska and Oklahoma also resorted to supplemental feed due to poor pasture conditions and a lack of grass. 

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.