Text Products for DGT Issued by RIW

Drought Information Statement
Issued by NWS Riverton, WY
Versions: 1 2
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WYZ001>020-022>030-220000-

DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
National Weather Service Riverton WY
515 PM MDT THU SEP 23 2021

...EXTREME DROUGHT CONDITIONS REMAIN ACROSS WYOMING...

.SYNOPSIS:

.Drought Intensity and Extent:
Current conditions as reported by the latest U.S. Drought Monitor that was
updated on September 21st, noted that drought conditions that covered 98
percent of Wyoming in mid-August increased to 100 percent of the state by
mid-September. Extreme (D3) Drought conditions persisted across eastern
Johnson, northeastern Natrona, western Big Horn, northern Park, northeastern
and southwestern Teton, southwest and central Sublette, and southern
Sweetwater Counties.

Severe (D2) Drought conditions dominated northwest and central Natrona, western
Johnson, eastern Big Horn, northern Washakie, southern Park, the rest of Teton,
northern and eastern Sublette, all of Lincoln, and western and northern
Sweetwater Counties. Moderate (D1) Drought conditions continued across Fremont
and Hot Springs Counties and remained across northeastern Sweetwater, western
and southern Natrona, as well as southern Washakie and Park Counties.

Precipitation:
Over the past month a couple of weak cold fronts were able to pass over the
region, providing a few short periods of cooler temperature, scattered showers
with a little snow in the mountains, and eventually cleared out smoke from
distant forest fires. Overall, temperatures remained 1 to 2 degrees above normal
for late August and early September, except for the northwest corner, where
temperatures were just above normal to about 2 degrees cooler. The warmest
areas were observed across western Sweetwater County with averages 2 to 4
degrees warmer, and the coolest area was in central Teton County with averages
around 2 degrees below normal.

Abnormally dry conditions remained across northern and central Wyoming over the
past month with most areas reporting less than 50 percent of normal rainfall.
The southwest and southern areas were on the wet side of the latest weather
systems, with most areas reporting 110 to 130 percent of normal rainfall. The
wettest areas were across northwest Sweetwater and southern Lincoln Counties
where nearly 200 percent of normal precipitation fell. The driest areas were
reported around southwest Park, northwest Big Horn and north-central Natrona
Counties where less than 20 percent of normal rainfall was recorded.

. Hydrologic Conditions:
Some cooling temperatures and more scattered showers assisted in slightly
improving stream flow levels across much of the state. The current U.S.
Geological Survey WaterWatch reported that the average stream flows over the
past 28 days across western and central Wyoming were near normal across central
and north-central parts of the state, with below normal flows being observed
across the rest of Wyoming. Area reservoir levels across the region continued
a noticeable decrease in stored water supplies as reduced inflows and increased
downstream demand for agriculture irrigation put a strain on water supplies
across the region. Reservoirs across northern and central Wyoming ranged from
86 percent full at Boysen to 20 percent at Jackson Lake, with sites across the
south averaging 98 percent full at Alcova to 4 percent at Big Sandy.

.SUMMARY OF IMPACTS:

.Agriculture Impacts...
Late August and early September saw some precipitation along with short periods
of cooler weather across the region, but overall, the state remained in the long
term hot and dry pattern. Corn and sugar beets were faring better than most other
crops, such as the alfalfa hay crop that was reported at 36 percent poor to very
poor condition. The September 19th, 2021 USDA Wyoming Crop Progress and Condition
Report indicated that 88 percent of topsoil moisture across the state was
reported at the short to very short levels, compared to 65 percent this time
last year and the 5 year average of 56 percent. Subsoil moisture reports also
indicated a decline in conditions across the region as 88 percent were reported
as being very short to short on moisture, compared to 76 percent a year ago and
a 5 year average of 59 percent.

Pasture and rangeland conditions have also degraded over the past month due to
the lack of any substantial rainfall as areas across the state have been rated
at 71 percent very poor to poor, compared to 71 percent this time last year and
a 5 year average of 34 percent.

.Fire Danger Impacts...
A few passing weak cold fronts and a little rainfall across the region helped
provide some relief to the fire danger across Wyoming. The latest National
Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) Observed Fire Danger ratings indicated Moderate
Fire Danger remained across western and central Wyoming, with High Fire Danger
conditions across the east.

.DROUGHT MITIGATION ACTIONS:
The continued lack of ground soaking precipitation, above normal temperatures,
drastically low soil moisture, and reduced locally stored water supplies have
negatively affected the agriculture activities across Wyoming this growing
season. Recently the Governor of Wyoming has signed an executive order to allow
motor carriers hauling hay to operate outside regular operating hours and to
carry larger loads to assist in moving hay to drought affected areas within the
state to to other states that have declared an emergency for livestock feed.

The USDA and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture have reported that many
ranchers across the state have reported very poor to poor range conditions and
are either selling off livestock early, or moving them to winter pastures early,
or even out of state. There were also a number of reports of hay shortages and
very high prices for livestock feed. Stock water supplies across the state were
reported as 87 percent very short to short this week, compared to 83 percent
last week.

.LOCAL PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK:

The latest Climate Prediction Center`s (CPC) outlook updated for the rest of
September provided indications towards a better than average chance of above
normal temperatures across Wyoming, along with a slightly better than average
chance of below normal  precipitation, especially across the northeast. The CPC
seasonal outlooks for the period of October through December indicated a slightly
better than average chance of warmer temperatures, with a slightly better than
average chance of drier conditions across southern and central Wyoming and an
average chance of near normal across the northwest.

The most recently updated U.S. Monthly Drought Outlook for September indicates
that widespread drought conditions will continue across much of Wyoming, while
the latest U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook for the months of October through
December keeps up the tendency for drought conditions to continue and even
intensify across the state.

.NEXT ISSUANCE DATE:

This product will be updated by mid October or sooner if necessary, in response
to significant changes in conditions.

&&

.RELATED WEB SITES:

Additional information on current drought conditions may be found at
The following web addresses:

U.S. Drought Monitor: https://www.droughtmonitor.unl.edu
U.S. Drought Information System: https://drought.gov
NWS Riverton drought page: https://www.weather.gov/riw/drought
Wyoming Water Resource Data System (WRDS): http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu

To report effects of the drought in your area, please go to the Drought Impact
Reporter at:
http://droughtreporter.unl.edu/

.Acknowledgments:

The U.S. Drought Monitor is a multi-agency effort involving the National Weather
Service and National Centers for Environmental Information, the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA), state and regional climatologists, and the National
Drought Mitigation Center. Information for this statement was gathered from NWS
and FAA observation sites, state cooperative extension services, the USDA and USGS.

.Questions or comments:

If you have any questions or comments about this drought information
Statement, please contact:

National Weather Service
12744 West US Highway 26
Riverton, WY 82501
Phone:  800-211-1448
Email:  nws.riverton@noaa.gov

$$
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office
