The areas of Oklahoma where a severe drought is recorded are growing, according to the latest Drought Monitor released this week. The conditions could improve next week because of rain in the forecast.
A large part of southern Oklahoma is covered with areas that fit under the “severe drought’ category and a few are included in what the Drought Monitor classifies as “extreme drought.” Some counties in northern Oklahoma next to the state line with Kansas also fall under the extreme drought category.
“Almost 80 percent of the Oklahoma cotton crop is in poor or very poor condition, as is 61 percent of Texas cotton. Peanuts, sorghum, soybeans, and rice planted in Texas, Louisiana, southern Oklahoma, and southern Mississippi were also being stressed by from heat and lack of rainfall, although the proportion in poor condition or worse is considerably lower. In addition, deteriorating pastures and rangelands are stressing livestock,” stated the Drought Monitor.
It also said that across Kansas, 40 percent of soybeans are in poor or very poor condition, as are 33 percent of the corn crop, 29 percent of sorghum, and 47 percent of rangelands. Across Nebraska, about one quarter of all the aforementioned crops are in poor or very poor condition. Still, this region did not see the degree of deterioration observed in the Midwest Region, with significant worsening most notable in central and eastern Kansas.
