Spring is typically a good time for rain on winter wheat. However, intense drought conditions in western Kansas continue to hurt winter wheat.
Less than 20 percent of Kansas winter wheat is in good to excellent condition. The U.S. Drought Monitor says only 15 percent of Kansas’ acres are not experiencing any level of drought stress. More than 36 percent of the state reported D4 exceptional drought compared to just a little over one percent last year. D3 extreme drought conditions are hurting 16 percent of the state, with D2 severe drought hitting 13 percent of Kansas.
Dennis Todey of the US Department of Agriculture Midwest Climate Hub in Ames, IA, says the best chance of precipitation this spring is in the areas currently experiencing extreme drought to exceptional drought. Still, he says it’s going to be very hard to eliminate the drought in those areas. Todey says the worst drought is outside of corn and soybean growing areas.
Comments