SOUTHEAST DROUGHT
According to the Southeast
Regional Climate Center, precipitation totals for March were
quite variable across the region. Precipitation was less than 50
percent of normal across much of central and southern Florida,
portions of South Carolina, southeastern North Carolina and
northern Virginia. Naples, Florida recorded only 0.28 inch (7 mm)
of precipitation for the month, making it the 13th driest March in
a record extending back 64 years. Most of Puerto Rico experienced
above-normal precipitation totals for the month. The extreme
drought (D3) conditions, which had persisted across extreme
northeast Georgia and northwest South Carolina, were reduced to
severe drought (D2) as a result of three significant precipitation
events during the month. This marked the first time in two years in
which the entire southeastern region was free of extreme (D3) and
exceptional (D4) drought. Severe drought (D2) conditions persisted
across portions of central and southern Florida. Moderate drought
conditions continued across northern Virginia, western North
Carolina, eastern Georgia, and portions of Florida.
SOUTHERN REGION DROUGHT
As noted by the Southern
Regional Climate Center, much of the southern half of the
Southern Region experienced near-to-above-normal precipitation
totals, in contrast to the previous two months. Northern and
southern Texas observed precipitation totals that fell well below
the normal range. In the northern Texas panhandle, most stations
only reported approximately 25 to 50 percent of normal
precipitation. It was slightly drier in the southernmost regions of
the state, with many stations reporting only 5 to 50 percent of
normal rainfall. Similar totals were also observed in the northern
counties of the western Texas panhandle, and in the south central
counties of Oklahoma.
The spatially variable pattern of March precipitation had both a
positive and negative impact on drought conditions within the
Southern Region. Steady and above-normal precipitation in Louisiana
and southern Mississippi helped eradicate the moderate drought and
abnormally dry conditions that existed in February. Similarly,
near-normal precipitation in south central Tennessee led to the
removal of abnormally dry conditions. In Oklahoma, dry conditions
in the western counties resulted in a one category deterioration
from moderate to severe drought. In addition, the two panhandles of
Texas also observed a one category deterioration to moderate
drought conditions. This was also the case in the southernmost
counties of the state, where precipitation totals were well below
normal for the month. Although many portions of central Texas
observed above-normal rainfall during March, it was not sufficient
to provide much improvement to the drought conditions that have
persisted there for approximately one year.
As noted in the March 29 USDA Crop Weather reports, 63 percent of
wheat, 70 percent of oats, 38 percent of sorghum, and 62 percent of
the range and pasture in Texas were in very poor to poor condition.
In Oklahoma, the ratings were 36 percent for winter wheat, 42
percent for rye, 55 percent for oats, and 33 percent for pasture
and rangeland.
Texas: According to Texas AgriLife
Extension Service economists, the ongoing drought in the Lone Star
State has cost the state's farmers and ranchers nearly $1 billion,
and losses could continue to mount this spring if sufficient
rainfall isn't received for forage or row crops. Mid-March rainfall
over much of Texas was too little too late as ongoing drought has
cost livestock producers $569 million since November. Cattle
producers spent substantial amounts on hay and supplemental feed,
according to agriculture officials, and the drought losses also
include failed wheat crops usually used for grazing. When totaling
losses already sustained since November, AgriLife Extension
economists said the ongoing drought has cost Texas $829 million to
date. Those losses will likely surpass the $1 billion mark in the
next 60 days as livestock producers continue to make supplemental
feed purchases or sell cattle and calves in a declining market,
said Dr. David Anderson, AgriLife Extension livestock marketing
economist (AgNews, 3/13/09).
MIDWEST DROUGHT
As explained by the Midwest
Regional Climate Center, above-normal precipitation was
observed across parts of the region. Below-normal precipitation
fell from southeast Missouri to the southern two-thirds of Ohio and
also from northwest Iowa to northern Michigan. Drought conditions
continued in southeast Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan while abnormally dry conditions emerged in
southern Ohio.
HIGH PLAINS REGION DROUGHT
As noted by the High Plains
Regional Climate Center, precipitation was variable across the
region, with the big story this month being record precipitation
coupled with warm temperatures resulting in record-breaking
flooding along the Red River in eastern North Dakota.
Kansas: As described by the Kansas Water
Office, March precipitation totals varied widely across the state
with eastern and south central areas generally running well above
normal while northwest and north central areas were much drier than
usual. Several locations reported no precipitation during the
month. Total precipitation was less than 50 percent of normal
across most of western Kansas since January 1st, with a large area
receiving less than 25 percent of normal. Long-term persistent
dryness in southwest Kansas was evident at the 12-month timescale
as were wetter-than-normal areas in north central and southeast
Kansas.
The March 30 Kansas Crop and Weather Report rated statewide topsoil
moisture as 35 percent short-very short compared with 66 percent
short-very short one month ago and 22 percent short-very short at
this time last year. The northwest and west central districts,
which missed the brunt of a March 27th storm, both reported topsoil
moisture as 88 percent short-very short. Subsoil moisture was rated
29 percent short-very short, 64 percent adequate and 7 percent
surplus, statewide. Twenty-two large wildfires have been reported
to the Kansas Forest Service from 12 Kansas counties so far this
year. These fires burned a total of 21,600 acres. Five fires were
over 1,000 acres in size.
Moderate or severe drought conditions were indicated at month's end
by the U.S. Drought Monitor in all or most of seven southwest or
south central Kansas counties adjacent to the Oklahoma border.
Abnormally dry conditions covered the remainder of western Kansas.
This represented some reduction in the area covered by abnormally
dry or drought conditions compared with the situation one month
ago, except for severe drought, which was not previously indicated.
No county drought declarations were presently in effect and no
drought-related public water system impacts were currently being
reported. But, at the request of Governor Kathleen Sebelius, U.S.
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack designated Scott County as a
primary disaster area on March 30th. This designation was based
upon crop production losses due to drought and high winds between
January 1 and December 31, 2008.
WESTERN DROUGHT
As summarized by the Western
Regional Climate Center, except for northern Idaho, western
Montana and portions of Wyoming, most of the West had a
drier-than-normal March. Although a strong storm hit California
during the first four days of the month producing heavy rain and
snow, most locations had monthly totals well below average. An
important exception was the northern Sierra, which had
precipitation and snowfall totals of up to 115 percent of normal,
increasing the snowpack from 70 percent of normal at the beginning
of the month to 80 percent by the end of the month. The
Eight-Station Index used for tracking input to the California State
Water Project ended the month at 8.2 inches (208 mm), 119 percent
of average. Except for the Southwest, the rest of the West was near
or slightly above normal on the April 1st snow surveys. Although
the Southwest was extremely dry, Albuquerque measured 0.24 inch
(6.1 mm) on the 9th, breaking a 72-day string of no-precipitation
days, their eighth longest such spell. Seattle continued with their
unusually snowy winter and up until March 26th had measured more
snowfall for the winter season (20.3 inches; 51.3 cm) than Denver's
19.1 inches (49.0 cm). Nome, Alaska, recorded their snowiest March
on record, which followed their snowiest February on record. This
led to the second greatest snow depth ever recorded, 78 inches on
the 12th.
California: As noted by the California
State Climatologist, a March 30, 2009 drought report from the
California Department of Water Resources to the Governor's office
provided an update on the state's drought conditions and water
availability. The report states that, "while there have been some
improvements in this year's hydrologic conditions, allocations to
state and federal water contractors are expected to remain at or
near record lows for the rest of 2009. As a result, many parts of
California will be faced with reduced water supplies this year."
The report notes that responding to conditions this year and
preparing for possible future dry years are critically important to
meet statewide water needs. Over the last two months, the
state's reservoirs gained nearly 3 million acre-feet of
storage. Smaller reservoirs like Friant and Folsom were able to
fill to their current flood control limits. However, the state's
largest reservoirs (Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville), which are major
water supply sources for the state and federal water systems, still
remained significantly below average. The drought has caused
economic hardship in California, particularly in agricultural
communities.
NORTHEAST DROUGHT
As noted by the Northeast
Regional Climate Center, on average, the Northeast received
below-normal precipitation in March. Central and western New York
and northeast Pennsylvania were the only regions with above normal
precipitation. Central and southern Pennsylvania, most of New
Jersey, and portions of Maryland were the driest in the Northeast,
receiving only 25 to 50 percent of their normal March precipitation
totals.
Drought conditions expanded to the north during March. The U.S.
Drought Monitor issued March 31, 2009 indicated that the southern
half of Pennsylvania and all of New Jersey and Delaware were
abnormally dry. In West Virginia, most of the state was
experiencing abnormally dry conditions. The exceptions were
portions of the Central, Southern and Northeastern climate
divisions, which were in the moderate drought category. Moderate
drought conditions were also found in most of central Maryland,
with abnormally dry conditions in the rest of the state.
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NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information
weather pattern
for March consisted of a series of fronts and
low pressure systems which moved across the country in a generally
west-to-east zonal
upper-level flow. This pattern brought above-normal
precipitation to parts of the Northwest and
northern Plains, Midwest
to Lower Great Lakes, and southern
Plains to Southeast. The wet low pressure systems generally
missed other areas, including the Southwest,
Florida,
extreme
south Texas, and parts of the central
Plains, Ohio Valley, and
the Northeast. As a result, drought conditions improved in
California and the Southeast, deteriorated over south Texas and
much of Florida, and crept into parts of the mid-Atlantic region
(March 31
USDM versus February 24
USDM).
