This week brought scattered precipitation and above average temperatures to Wyoming, according to the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Precipitation this week was a mix of rain and snow. Big Horn County reported a storm early in the week brought a mix of rain and snow that halted all farming for the week. Weston and Goshen counties reported the storm brought much needed moisture and helped improve soil moisture.

Most of the State received over 0.1 inch of moisture. Areas along the western border received over an inch of precipitation, while isolated areas in the southeastern corner of the State recorded only 0.05 inch. Despite the storm, precipitation totals for the month of October are roughly three quarters of an inch below average for most of the State.

Temperatures remained above average this week. Temperatures in the western and southwestern counties ranged from average to 4 degrees above average. Counties along the eastern and northern borders of the State were the hottest this week, with temperatures 6 to 10 degrees above average.

According to the United States Drought Monitor for October 14, 2021, the amount of land rated as abnormally dry remained at 2.1 percent, unchanged from last week. Moderate drought was present across 24.8 percent of the State, a decrease from 27.5 percent last week. Severe drought increased to cover 43.0 percent of the State, roughly a 15.0 percent increase from 37.4 percent last week. Extreme drought conditions decreased slightly from 33.0 percent last week to 30.1 percent of the State this week. This is the fifth week in a row with 100.0 percent of the State experiencing drought conditions.

The winter wheat crop was reported at 98 percent emerged this week.

Harvest of corn for grain is behind last year as harvest was reported at 18 percent complete this week compared to 61 percent harvested this time last year.

Sugarbeet harvest is 52 percent complete, compared to 64 percent complete this time last year. Harvest of the third cutting of alfalfa hay and dry edible beans is nearing completion, with harvest reported at 93 percent complete and 96 percent complete, respectively.

Stock water supplies across Wyoming were rated 21 percent very short, 57 percent short, and 22 percent adequate compared to 28 percent very short, 48 percent short, 23 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus last week.