Provides information on the typical La Niña winter pattern; the La Niña outlook; potential impacts; and comparisons of conditions during previous La Niña years.
NOAA’s Regional Climate Services Program created these outlooks to inform the public about climate impacts within their respective regions. Each regional report contains easy-to-understand language, and anyone can access them through the Drought Portal.
This drought early warning update was originally sent via email to the Missouri River Basin and Midwest DEWS email lists.
A two-page status update on drought conditions, including current conditions, impacts, and outlook, in the Midwest and Northern Plains regions for June 21, 2018.
Significant Drought Impacts Reported in Kansas, Missouri, Southeast Iowa
Extreme to Exceptional Drought Worsens in Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa Since Mid-July
- Drought conditions have increased in severity and coverage across the central United States since mid-July, particularly in MO, KS, IA, MI, MN, ND, and SD.
- Despite some recent rains, exceptional drought(D4) persists in KS and MO.
- Agriculture and water supply have been the most negatively affected by this summer’s drought conditions. Some of the recent rainfall may help soybeans and pasture recovery, but it likely fell too late to help stressed corn.
Rainfall Brings Much-Needed Drought Relief to Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa
- Recent rainfall has brought much-needed relief to the hardest-hit drought areas in MO, KS, and IA, however, at the same time, drought conditions worsened in ND.
- Although rainfall has improved conditions, drought recovery may be slow in areas that experienced extreme or exceptional drought this summer - particularly where surface water and groundwater was limited.
- Winter is typically the driest season, making autumn a key season for recovery from hydrologic drought.
uarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Midwest Region for June – August 2020. Dated September 2020.
Temperatures were above normal, particularly in the northern half of the Midwest. For the region, the summer ranked as the 18th warmest in 126 years. Summer precipitation across the region varied considerably. Iowa had its 14th driest summer, while Kentucky recorded its 17th wettest summer.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Midwest Region for September – November 2019. Dated December 2019.
Temperatures in the region averaged below normal in the upper Midwest and above normal further southeast. The continued wetness of 2019 persisted into the fall. Year-to-date precipitation ranked among the top 10 in all nine states, with new records in Wisconsin, and the Midwest.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Midwest Region for June – August 2019. Dated September 2019.
The Midwest had close-to-normal temperatures for the summer across the entire region. Summer precipitation was near normal in the upper two-thirds of the region and above normal in the southern third.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Midwest Region for March – May 2019. Dated June 2019.
Spring temperatures ranged from several degrees below normal in Minnesota to just above normal in eastern Kentucky. Precipitation was above normal for a large majority of the Midwest.