Connecting Ag to Climate: Recent and Current Conditions
Wyoming experienced its 22nd warmest and 11th driest June out of 130 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information database, retrieved July 24.
Scaling to the county level, the adjacent table includes temperature and precipitation rankings of select counties for the month of June.
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) map for Wyoming, released July 18, classifies over 45 percent of Wyoming as being abnormally dry (D0), and it shows over 46 percent of the state in moderate (D1) or severe drought (D2).
The remainder of the state – over eight 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
NOAA’s eight- to 14-day forecast for July 31 to Aug. 6, issued on July 23, shows a 70 to 80 percent probability of above normal temperatures for all of Wyoming. For the same timeframe, there is a 33 to 50 percent probability for below average precipitation throughout Wyoming.
The one-month forecast for August, issued July 18, indicates a 40 to 80 percent probability of above normal temperatures and a 33 to 50 percent probability for below normal precipitation throughout 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.
