Drought has crept back into part of Indiana, reflecting weeks of dry conditions following a wet winter and spring that eliminated the remnants of the devastating drought of 2012.
The U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday (Sept. 5) showed that four counties in northwest Indiana – Benton, Newton, Warren and Lake – are now in moderate drought. Until this week, nearly half of the state was abnormally dry – the lowest level of dryness – a condition that continues in most of the central counties and some northern counties.
“We were expecting moderate drought to be introduced into the state this week,” said Ken Scheeringa, associate climatologist with the Indiana State Climate office, based at Purdue University. “Rainfall has been scarce in most counties for a few weeks now. Drought conditions in Illinois were worsening and on the move eastward and have now reached Indiana.”
Crops have been in dire need of meaningful rainfall for weeks. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that 80 percent of Indiana's corn crop was in good to excellent condition in mid-July, but that has fallen to 66 percent for the week ending Aug. 31. For soybeans, 74 percent was rated good to excellent in mid-July, compared with 62 percent now.
