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Active wet pattern needed to bust Upper Midwestern drought
Much of the Upper Midwest will need a very active wet pattern to make up moisture deficits ahead of the next growing season.
Iowa state climatologist Justin Glisan says some areas remain 8 to 12 inches short of normal precipitation.
“We would need a week to week, month to month of above-average precipitation to really start to see an improvement in those driest parts of Minnesota, the Dakotas, and even central Iowa.”
He tells Brownfield widespread rainfall in recent weeks has helped replenish subsoil moisture.
“Given that we’re not using any water anymore in terms of row crop. So seeing infiltration into the subsoil moisture profile, as well as the increased stream flows tell us that these efficient wide-spread rainfalls that we’re getting are starting to put a dent in these precipitation deficits.”
But overall, Glisan says continued wetness over the next several months if not a full year will be necessary to “bust the driest parts of the drought region.”
