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In my little section of South Dakota, we have been in a drought going on three years now. Seems to be mimicking the dirty thirties, including the lovely derecho with haboob feature that came through May 12th of 2022. That wall of topsoil turned the sky black, and day into night as it passed over our city.
Being a gardener, climate and weather is a critical concern, as much as when to transplant my tomatoes. As someone who runs the house, the water bill is another consideration. If you are here, you probably keep as much an eye on rain potential as I do.
This year has been windier than other years, in our location. Considering Dakota country is known for her windy prairies, a windier year is notable. We needed the topsoil blown away on May 12th. Wind places more stress on the plants and increases their need for water. This summer has been very hot, a trend over the past few summers. While I love the heat, a gift and reward for suffering through our winters, plants do not share my love for a 90 degree day. The average temperature for this time of year is around 85 degrees. We’ve been in the 90’s for weeks.
Wind + Heat + Lack of Rain = stressed plants, stressed gardener and stressed wallet.
Where We Stand Currently Regarding Drought in the Midwestern United States
Current Drought Monitor Map as of July 28th, 2022. This map is released to the public every Thursday. The data collection period is Tuesday-Tuesday.
Source: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/ Accessed July 28, 2022
Drought Prediction Map for August in the Midwestern United States
Information from the National Weather Service via the Sioux Falls, SD office.
Source: https://twitter.com/NWSSiouxFalls/status/1552451269616435200/photo/1 Accessed 27 July 2022.
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