Nationwide
Following the previous drought-monitoring period’s extensive rainfall associated with Hurricane Francine and Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight, drought-easing precipitation developed farther west, across portions of the central and southern Plains and the middle Mississippi Valley.
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Another area of significant precipitation fell across the northern High Plains and environs, including parts of Montana. However, large sections of the country remained dry, with worsening drought conditions. Some of the most notable increases in the coverage of dryness and drought occurred in the upper Midwest and the Northeast, as well as parts of the western Gulf Coast region and the interior Southeast.
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Nationally, nearly one-half (45%) of the rangeland and pastures were rated in very poor to poor condition on Sept. 22, according to the USDA, up from an early-summer minimum of 19%.
The West
There were only minor changes in the Western drought depiction, aside from improvement due to heavy precipitation in parts of Montana.
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Dry conditions remained a concern in many areas, with statewide topsoil moisture rated very short to short on Sept. 22, as high as 84% in Montana and 74% in Oregon. Northwestern rangeland and pastures remained largely in terrible shape following a hot, dry summer, and by Sept. 22, were rated more than 60% very poor to poor in Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Dry conditions also favored winter wheat seeding, with Washington leading the nation on Sept. 22 with 54% of its intended acreage planted.
The High Plains
Aside from Kansas, where rainfall provided widespread drought relief, most of the High Plains experienced unchanged or worsening drought conditions.
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On Sept. 22, topsoil moisture rated very short to short, ranged from 29% in North Dakota to 84% in Wyoming, with values also above 50% in Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska. Wyoming led the region on that date, with 68% of its rangeland and pastures rated very poor to poor, followed by South Dakota at 44%.
The South
The South remained an odd mix of drought improvement and deterioration.
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Tennessee and Texas were notable for seeing large drought changes in both directions, with Tennessee noting drought deterioration in central and eastern areas and improvement in the west. Similarly, Texas saw improvement in some northern and central areas, along with a large expansion of abnormal dryness (D0) in the east-central part of the state. Oklahoma led the region on Sept. 22, with statewide topsoil moisture rated at 57%, which was very short to short, followed by Texas and Tennessee, both at 49%.
Meanwhile, at least one-half of the rangeland and pastures were rated in very poor to poor condition in Tennessee (53%) and Texas (50%). Texas also led the U.S. with 48% of its cotton rated in very poor to poor condition on that date, well above the national value of 33%. — UNL Drought Monitor
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