Dry Conditions Continue, Drought Forecast To Deepen

Date posted - July 13, 2012

Sheldon, Iowa — The dry conditions continue. But the past year has been a roller coaster into and out of drought.

We started 2011 wet, but by the end of the year, it was quite dry, and we were concerned about spring planting. We were in what the US Drought monitor calls “severe drought”. But by the time it was time to plant, we were pretty close to where we should be in the moisture profile, and the forecast was for improvement. Now it looks like the pendulum may be swinging back the other way.

The latest information from the US Drought Monitor indicates that our area is in moderate drought. The forecast isn’t any better news. The US Seasonal drought outlook for northwest Iowa is that development of greater drought is likely.

Much of the Corn Belt continues to experience increasing dryness and drought, with departure from normal precip over the past 30 days on the order of 3 to 5 inches below normal across central and eastern Iowa and much of Illinois and Indiana.

So the good news (if you can look at it that way) is that we’re not alone, it’s dry everywhere. In fact, over a thousand counties in 26 states are being named natural-disaster areas, the biggest such declaration ever by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It covers a third of farmers nationwide, and makes them eligible for low-interest loans.

Click here for a link to more information.

Buffer

Sheldon Broadcasting Company, Inc. appreciates your comments that abide by the following guidelines:
1. Avoid profanities or foul language.
2. Disagree, but avoid ad hominem (personal) attacks.
3. Threats are treated seriously and will be reported to law enforcement.
4. Spam and advertising are not permitted in the comments area.
These guidelines are very general and cannot cover every possible situation. Please don't assume that Sheldon Broadcasting Company, Inc. or its advertisers agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment. We reserve the right to filter or delete comments or to deny posting privileges entirely at our discretion. Please note that comments are reviewed by the selected staff and may not be posted immediately. If you feel your comment was filtered inappropriately, please email walt@kiwaradio.com.