Massive Increase in Areas Experiencing Drought in NW

The U.S. drought monitor shows that 13.5 percent of the lower 48 states are in a drought condition a bump of nearly two percent week over week.

USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey said there is one location driving this.

“We see drought now starting to appear in states like Washington and Oregon but it’s a much larger area that’s being effected by abnormal dryness or D0.”

Drought in Washington jumped from two percent to 56 percent in just a single week with the entire state classified as at least abnormally dry. In Oregon, 14 percent of the state is classified as a drought, 78 percent in abnormally dry.

The lack of rainfall has been impacting many growers, but there’s one that’s beginning to get ready to plant that Rippey said could be in trouble.

“We now see 19 percent of the U.S. winter wheat production area in drought with the heavy focus across the Northern Plains and the white winter wheat area of the Northwest.”

And the forecast for the next week does not appear it will bring a whole lot of relief.