Abnormal dryness and short-term moderate to severe drought continued to expand across the lower to middle Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley, Central Appalachians, Northeast and Southeast, said the National Weather Service in its weekly Drought Monitor.
However, heavy precipitation (two inches or more) resulted in a one-category improvement to central and eastern portions of Kentucky and Tennessee, the NWS said. Enhanced moisture, associated with Hurricane Lorena in the East Pacific, led to locally heavy precipitation and drought improvements to parts of the Desert Southwest.
Following a relatively wet week for this time of year, minor improvements were made to parts of Oregon, the NWS said. Elsewhere, little to no changes were warranted for the Pacific Northwest and California.
A strong cold front for early September triggered heavy precipitation and drought improvements across New Mexico and the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, the NWS said. Much of the Central to Northern Great Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley remained drought-free.
Seven-day temperatures (Sep. 2-8) averaged below normal across most of the central and eastern US with above-normal temperatures limited to the Pacific Northwest, Northern Intermountain West, Great Basin and California.
Widespread drought of varying intensity continued for Hawaii, while Alaska and Puerto Rico remained drought-free, the NWS said.
MIDWEST DRYING
Widespread one-category degradations in dryness were warranted for much of central and southern Missouri based on 30- to 60-day Standardized Precipitation Index, soil moisture, National Drought Mitigation Center blends, and impact reports, the NWS said.
Poor pasture conditions, low farm pond levels and increasing stress on soybeans have been reported across southwestern and south-central Missouri, the NWS said.
Short term moderate drought continues to expand across Illinois, eastern Indiana, Ohio and western Kentucky because of a multi-week period of below-normal precipitation, the NWS said. The degradations are consistent with 30- to 60-day SPI at various soil moisture indicators.
Effects in Ohio include rapid crop dry down, water hauling, low farm ponds and poor pasture conditions, the NWS said.
For southwestern and west-central areas of Illinois, ecological drought effects (trees prematurely dropping leaves) and agricultural effects (poor bean production) were reported. In contrast to these widespread degradations, heavy precipitation (more than two inches) supported a one-category improvement in soil moisture conditions to southeastern Kentucky.
HIGH PLAINS WETTER
Heavy precipitation (more than two inches) fell in parts of central Kansas, but significant precipitation (1.5 to two inches) led to a minor decrease in abnormal dryness in southwestern Kansas, the NWS said. Conversely, a slight increase in moderate drought was made to eastern Kansas.
Significant precipitation (more than 0.5” and locally 2-3”) supported improvements across southern Colorado, while worsening precipitation amounts led to a slight expansion of severe to extreme drought for northern Colorado.
CATTLE, BEEF RECAP
The USDA reported formula and contract base prices for live FOB steers and heifers this week ranged from $242.51 per cwt to $246.00, compared with last week’s range of $242.00 to $246.00 per cwt. FOB dressed steers and heifers went for $381.53 per cwt to $383.82, compared with $379.65 to $387.65.
The USDA choice cutout Thursday was down $4.85 per cwt at $400.79 while select was off $3.73 at $379.95. The choice/select spread narrowed to $20.84 from $21.96 with 88 loads of fabricated product and 24 loads of trimmings and grinds sold into the spot market.
The USDA-listed the weighted average wholesale price for fresh 90% lean beef was $434.21 per cwt, and 50% beef was $165.70.
The USDA said basis bids for corn from feeders in the Southern Plains were unchanged at $1.05 to $1.20 a bushel over the Dec corn contract, which settled at $4.19 3/4, up $0.02 3/4.
The CME Feeder Cattle Index for the seven days ended Wednesday was $363.48 per cwt, down $1.99. This compares with Thursday’s Sep contract settlement of $355.22, up $2.02.