The continued hot temperatures combined with the lack of any significant rainfall caused the drought situation across Indiana to both spread and worsen. Ken Scheeringa, associate state climatologist says depending on where you are in the state, the latest US Drought Monitor shows different intensities of drought. “By far our worst area is in extreme southwest Indiana,” he says. “Five or six counties are in what we call a D3 status – or an extreme drought condition.”
Scheeringa says the majority of the state is in what they call D1 or moderate drought. He tells Brownfield there are real concerns about the weather as we head into a critical time for the corn crop. “You have to have good weather during that time that it is tasseling and silking,” he says. “That means temperatures not very hot and sufficient moisture.” Scheeringa thinks the moisture is going to be deficient causing increased concern from farmers about what is going on in the moisture department.
He says the July forecast doesn’t look any better as temperatures look to continue to be above normal with below normal precipitation.
AUDIO: Ken Scheeringa, IN Drought (5:37mp3)
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