Moderate drought to severe drought has its parched grip on Michigan. In looking back at past years, we’ve never been in this particularly dry situation at an important stage of our growing season.
Here is the latest drought status, as of the last posting on Thursday, May 27, 2021.
Drought status on Tuesday, May 25, 2021.
Six percent of Michigan is in severe drought now, and 66 percent is in moderate drought.
There is a method that has been developed to quantify the amount of drought across Michigan. This method yields a number called the Drought Severity and Coverage Index(DSCI). The Index adds up the percentages of the various drought levels, with an increased overweighting as we go up in drought severity.
The current DSCI is 151. This type of data goes back to 2000. I haven’t found any very dry period in late May and early June, except for this year. Looking at the data, we had very dry conditions in winter for a few years, and in late summer and fall. May and early June is a strange, and not-so-good time for drought.
Drought Severity and Coverage Index ranked in descending order from highest computed since 2000.
As you can see, we have had much more extensive and severe drought in the past. The highest ranking of cumulative drought was back in March 2003. By April that dry situation had decreased. 2007 was also severely dry, but at a later time in the growing season. The other dry year that sticks out since 2000 was 2012. That was also a severe hot period in late July and August.
So this dry spell is something we haven’t seen for a long time, with drought going into an important part of the growing season. For many of us gardeners, it’s a nuisance since we have to take time to water plants. For Michigan farmers this could affect their family’s income with reduced yields.
This drought situation is something we definitely have to watch going into summer. Let’s hope for several decent rains, which right now aren’t in the forecast for most of Michigan.
The Link LonkJune 02, 2021 at 06:54AM
https://www.mlive.com/weather/2021/06/michigan-hasnt-been-this-dry-at-this-point-in-growing-season-since-good-data-started-in-2000.html
Michigan hasn’t been this dry at this point in growing season since good data started in 2000 - MLive.com
https://news.google.com/search?q=dry&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
No comments:
Post a Comment