Drought coverage in the continental United States this week fell to the lowest levels since June 2020, but dryness has escalated in the western Corn Belt, where subsoil moisture reserves are below a year ago.
On the other hand, wet weather has once again delayed the start to field work in North Dakota, but the soil saturation is significantly lower versus last spring, when the state's corn and soybean planting paces were record-slow.
The U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday morning showed 45% of the continental United States was abnormally dry as of May 9, down from the recent peak of 85% in November and below the year-ago 61%. Official U.S. drought coverage of 23% is the lowest for any week since mid-June 2020.
But 29% of U.S. corn areas and 21% of soybean areas are in a drought versus 21% and 12% a year ago, respectively. Some 48% of winter wheat areas are experiencing drought versus 68% a year ago, but 16% of it is currently under exceptional drought versus just 3% a year ago.
The winter wheat drought is heavily concentrated in hard red wheat areas like Kansas, pushing national winter wheat ratings to 44% poor or very poor as of Sunday, the worst for any week since 2014. That is despite decent conditions in soft red wheat states in the east.
Parts of the western Corn Belt were fortunate this week with a couple inches of rain, especially in central Nebraska and northwest Kansas, though many areas are still in need.
CORN CONCERNS?
The market has mostly accepted that the U.S. hard red winter wheat crop will be a disaster this year, but high expectations remain for corn and soybeans. Western areas may struggle with summer crops for a second consecutive year if ample rains are not observed within the next several weeks.
Monday's crop progress report showed subsoil moisture in top-four corn producer Nebraska at 19% adequate or surplus, the lowest for May since 2013 and below the year-ago 41%.
Adequate or surplus subsoil moisture in Kansas at 19% as of Sunday is the lowest for May in more than a quarter-century and well off last year's 41%. Kansas grows 5% of the country's corn and Nebraska accounts for 12%.
The Drought Monitor shows 64% of Kansas in extreme or worse drought this week, topped only by a stretch from July 2012 to March 2013 in records back to 2000. The same stat for Nebraska is 48%, the worst since December but the worst for May since 2013.
Widespread drought conditions during May have preceded strong U.S. corn yields in the past, so dryness itself is not a concern, but the overall success could be limited without immediate improvement in the critically parched areas.
WET MONITOR
Drought Monitor data does not reflect areas of excessive moisture, but sometimes wetness may threaten planting or plant growth, and it can be more disruptive than dryness at times.
Soil moisture data from the U.S. Climate Prediction Center suggests excessive wetness is not currently a problem in any key parts of the Corn Belt, though North Dakota is on watch as a patch of wetter soils has been developing in the Southeast.
Source:marketscreener.com
Photo Credit: GettyImages-neenawat555
Categories: Missouri, Crops, Corn, Soybeans, Weather