Moisture coming….

[AKSkeeter]

Still a long ways to go for much of the western US.
Lake Powell and Lake Meade are at record low level (lowest ever)
The region is already in an unprecedented Tier 1 shortage on the Colorado River, which led to mandatory water cuts that mainly impacted agriculture. The latest forecast would suggest that California, Arizona, Nevada and Mexico would see even more significant cuts to their Colorado River water starting in January.

Drought conditions across much of Kansas could cost wheat farmers more than $1 billion.

The Southwest’s ongoing 20-year drought is the most severe in at least 1,200 years.

The first four months of 2022 were the driest on record in California.

 

[westksbowhunter]

Still a long ways to go for much of the western US.
Lake Powell and Lake Meade are at record low level (lowest ever)
The region is already in an unprecedented Tier 1 shortage on the Colorado River, which led to mandatory water cuts that mainly impacted agriculture. The latest forecast would suggest that California, Arizona, Nevada and Mexico would see even more significant cuts to their Colorado River water starting in January.

Drought conditions across much of Kansas could cost wheat farmers more than $1 billion.

The Southwest’s ongoing 20-year drought is the most severe in at least 1,200 years.

The first four months of 2022 were the driest on record in California.

Dry in southwest Kansas but it has been a great spring for pheasant hatching in most other parts of the state. We don't want extreme drought but the dry spring was a welcome for pheasants. It has been extremely wet and cold the last 3 springs and pheasant numbers have suffered. We did have some very cool weather the last several days and any early hatching would have suffered loss but overall I am more optimistic about the hatch than I have been in years.

 

[Rogue Hunter]

Here in Minn, we will need a little less rain or higher temps, going forward.

 

[gimruis]

Here in Minn, we will need a little less rain or higher temps, going forward.

Looks pretty good the next 10 days or so. Mostly 70's for temps and no big storms on the horizon. Just garden variety showers perhaps.

This is the summer weather I love about living here. 70 degrees during the day and 50 degrees at night. Don't have to blast my AC or sprinklers nonstop. I hate that 95 degree and humid and dry crap we had last season. The south can have it.

 

[westksbowhunter]

Nothing but rain and severe storms here. Large hail and tornados on tap today. I will take dry over wet any day. This might be 3 years in a row where rain deminishes the hatch in Kansas

 

[gimruis]

Nothing but rain and severe storms here. Large hail and tornados on tap today. I will take dry over wet any day. This might be 3 years in a row where rain deminishes the hatch in Kansas

I realize that heavy rain and severe storms containing hail, strong winds, or tonadoes are not ideal, but there's more to life than pheasant hunting. The entire western half of the country is in a severe drought and at some point every day life which relies on rain/freshwater is going to be more important than achieving a good hatch of pheasants. If I were you I'd be thankful for any moisture because there isn't enough to go around right now.

 

[westksbowhunter]

I realize that heavy rain and severe storms containing hail, strong winds, or tonadoes are not ideal, but there's more to life than pheasant hunting. The entire western half of the country is in a severe drought and at some point every day life which relies on rain/freshwater is going to be more important than achieving a good hatch of pheasants. If I were you I'd be thankful for any moisture because there isn't enough to go around right now.

The entire western half of the state is not in a severe drought. Some areas are but not here. It was dry through winter and into April but not even close to severe drought. It's western KS, it's supposed to be dry. You have to be nuts to believe the drought monitor. We were swamped out here last year til July, then one dry month and the graph had us in drought. Wheat looks good here. Extreme sw corner is dry and is always dry, nothing new. This isn't a tropical climate. We didn't get rain in April which hurt the crop about 15% but overall not terrible. It's been raining here for 3 weeks now. Horsethief and Scott lake are at full pool. Cedar Bluff continues to loose water. Not all for natural reasons. The extreme wind has been a bigger issue than dry weather.

 

[BrownDogsCan2]

The entire western half of the state is not in a severe drought. Some areas are but not here. It was dry through winter and into April but not even close to severe drought. It's western KS, it's supposed to be dry. You have to be nuts to believe the drought monitor. We were swamped out here last year til July, then one dry month and the graph had us in drought. Wheat looks good here. Extreme sw corner is dry and is always dry, nothing new. This isn't a tropical climate. We didn't get rain in April which hurt the crop about 15% but overall not terrible. It's been raining here for 3 weeks now. Horsethief and Scott lake are at full pool. Cedar Bluff continues to loose water. Not all for natural reasons. The extreme wind has been a bigger issue than dry weather.

The wheat I was paying attention to which would have been around larned didn’t look that great. Some I don’t think would make much more than 30. I’d like to see them get a little more rain.

 

[gimruis]

You have to be nuts to believe the drought monitor.

Well then call me nuts. I believe the drought monitor. Although it does indicate that "local conditions may vary" so just because the entire western half is in severe drought or worse, doesn't mean that it actually is.

 

[westksbowhunter]

Well then call me nuts. I believe the drought monitor. Although it does indicate that "local conditions may vary" so just because the entire western half is in severe drought or worse, doesn't mean that it actually is.

I don't, it is a gateway drug to emergency haying.

 

[hunter94]

for emergency haying often, local landowner agreement, with administration, basically bullshit.
so i don't hunt KS. anymore.

 

[AKSkeeter]

NW Montana had record 1-day rainfall on 14 June 2022, part of a multi-day atmospheric river. Not only were multiple single day records set across northwest Montana but Noisy Basin set the highest 1-day total for all of Western Montana ever...almost 10 inches of precip in 3 days.

 

[Golden Hour]

NW Montana had record 1-day rainfall on 14 June 2022, part of a multi-day atmospheric river. Not only were multiple single day records set across northwest Montana but Noisy Basin set the highest 1-day total for all of Western Montana ever...almost 10 inches of precip in 3 days.

I have seen some footage of the Yellowstone. Truly incredible!!

 

[zoops]

Some bumpy weather last night in SW ND. Didn't sound like anything too crazy. 2-3" of rain in Dickinson and around 2 in Bismarck.

 

[gjw]

Hey all, yep, we sure are getting rain! Very welcome indeed. It's been good so far this year, not flooded out and not dried out. It also has not been overly hot, warm, with a few hot days, but overall nice.

The ranchers and farmers around here have already got their first cutting of hay. The way it looks, they will get another. That's darn good.

With the rain and good haying season, looks like there won't be any emergency haying of PLOTS, CRP or other conservation lands. This can only bode well for the broods. There should be good cover for them and heck, good cover for this fall season.

Fingers crossed that the weather will cooperate.

Best,

Greg

 

[2setters]

Glad to hear about the rain. Watch the weather channel and it looked all along that yu folks have been getting a lot of rain. We could use some here in Michigan