Average precipitation in August was in the driest third of the historical record, despite the arrival of two tropical cyclones -- Marco and Laura -- and above-average precipitation across the Mid-Atlantic, the Ohio and Lower Mississippi Valleys, and the Southeast. The dry outcome was driven by below-average precipitation in the Pacific Northwest and well-below-average precipitation across swaths of the Midwest, Southern Plains, the Rockies, and the Southwest.
The dry conditions and high temperatures continued and worsened drought across the West. The percent area of the contiguous United States experiencing some level of drought increased by 7 percentage points in August, leaving nearly 40% of the country in drought.
The parched conditions also led to extreme fire activity in Colorado and California. As of the end of August, three of the fires in Northern California -- the SCU, LNU, and August Complex -- ranked as the state's second-, third-, and fourth-largest on record. Meanwhile, the Pine Gulch Fire in Colorado has become the largest in the state's history."
Let's also make sure that the August dryness effect on crop conditions is noted in this overview. On Aug. 2, Iowa corn crop ratings were 59% good and 14% excellent for a total of 73%. That total declined to 41% good and 4% excellent on Aug. 30 for a total of 45%. And the state's hot and dry calamity peaked in the final full week of the month.
From the Iowa crop and weather summary, as noted by Iowa state climatologist Justin Glisan: "August 24-30 was the driest reporting period of the summer and of the 2020 growing season ... All Iowa stations, with the exception of one, reported below average precipitation ... Much of the reporting period also had temperatures well-above average with the highest departures, on the order of 10-12 degrees, in western Iowa. The statewide average temperature was 77.3 degrees, 6.1 degrees above normal."
Bryce Anderson can be reached at bryce.anderson@dtn.com
Follow him on Twitter @BAndersonDTN
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The Link LonkSeptember 11, 2020 at 03:59PM
https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/blogs/ag-weather-forum/blog-post/2020/09/11/dry-august-corn-belt
Dry August in the Corn Belt - DTN The Progressive Farmer
https://news.google.com/search?q=dry&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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