Recent and Current Conditions
By Windy Kelley
Wyoming experienced its ninth warmest and 17th driest July out of 128 years according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information database, retrieved Aug. 23.
At the county level, July minimum temperatures ranked between the fourth to the 31st warmest with Laramie, Crook and Hot Springs counties respectively – while the maximum temperatures ranked between the sixth to the 19th warmest. The adjacent tables include additional temperature and precipitation rankings of select counties for the month of July.
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) map for Wyoming, released Aug. 18, classified over 35 percent of the state as being abnormally dry – and nearly 55 percent of Wyoming as moderate to extreme drought.
The remainder of the state, nearly 10 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 Aug. 31 through Sept. 6, made Aug. 23, shows a 50 to 70 percent probability or chance for above normal temperatures for all of Wyoming. For the same timeframe, the forecast shows a 33 to 40 percent probability for below normal precipitation for the entire state.
The September forecast, made Aug. 18, indicates a 40 to 50 percent probability of above normal temperatures for most of Wyoming – with a higher probability in the southwest corner and a slightly lower probability in the northwest corner of the state.
For the same timeframe, there is a 33 to 50 percent probability for below normal precipitation throughout Wyoming – with the northwest corner having the lowest probability.
For details and to view more 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 and the University of Wyoming Extension and WAFERx. She can be reached at wkelley1@uwyo.edu or 307-367-4380.
