Recent and Current Conditions
Wyoming experienced its 40th warmest and 27th driest March out of 128 years, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) database, retrieved April 26. Scaling to the county level, the adjacent tables show temperature and precipitation rankings of select counties for the month of March.
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) map for Wyoming, released April 21, shows 100 percent of Wyoming continues to experience abnormally dry conditions or moderate to extreme drought.
View the current USDM map at bit.ly/2S28VTA. Consider submitting a Condition Monitoring Observer Report at bit.ly/3c4WRLR.
Eight to 14-day, one-month and grass forecasts
NOAA’s eight to 14-day forecast for May 4-10, made March 26, shows near normal temperatures for almost all of Wyoming. The exception is the northwest corner of the state where there is a 33 to 40 percent probability for below average temperatures. For the same timeframe, the forecast shows a 33 to 50 percent probability for above normal precipitation throughout Wyoming.
The May forecast, made April 21, indicates a 33 to 40 percent chance of below normal temperatures in the northeast corner of Wyoming, and a 33 to 50 percent chance of above normal temperatures along the southern third of the state. There is an equal chance of below, near or above normal temperatures for the rest of the state.
For the same time frame, there is a 33 to 40 percent probability for above normal precipitation along much of the northern border of Wyoming, and a 33 to 50 percent probability for below normal precipitation for the southern third of the state.
For the rest of Wyoming, there is an equal chance of below, near or above normal precipitation during the month of May.
For details and to view more NOAA forecasts, visit cpc.ncep.noaa.gov.
The first set of 2022 grass forecast maps, which forecast grassland productivity, are available. Visit grasscast.unl.edu/ to view the maps, which are updated biweekly.
Windy K. Kelley is the regional Extension program coordinator and state specialist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Northern Plains Climate Hub, University of Wyoming Extension and WAFERx. She can be reached at wkelley1@uwyo.eduor or 307-367-438.
