Contact: Doug Kluck (doug.kluck@noaa.gov) Central Region Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook| September 2012 

www.drought.gov/portal/server.pt/community/reports

Quarterly Climate Impacts 

and Outlook

Central Region

September 2012

National - Significant Events for June - August 2012

Regional - Climate Overview for June - August 2012

Highlights for the 

Central Region

Summer 2012 ranks as the warmest on record 

for Wyoming and Colorado, and in the top 

ten warmest for nine other states in the 

region. 1,828 maximum temperature and high 

minimum temperature records were set during 

the course of the summer in the region at 

stations with 80 or more years of record. 

Drought expanded and intensified through 

August. At the peak around August 21st, 77 

percent of the Central Region was experiencing 

moderate to exceptional drought.

Hot, dry weather resulted in an active wildfire 

season throughout the region. At end of August 

there were 15 wildfires still active in Wyoming, 

Colorado, and North Dakota.

Six to ten inches of rain on June 19-20 caused 

catastrophic flooding in Duluth, MN. Damages 

to the city infrastructure alone are estimated at 

$50 to $80 million. 

Temperature and Precipitation Anomalies Drought

Percent of Normal Precipitation (%)

6/1/2012 - 8/31/2012

Departure from Normal Temperature (F)

6/1/2012 - 8/31/2012

US Drought Monitor

8/21/2012

Although August rainfall in the eastern half of 

the region brought improvement to drought 

conditions, it was generally too little, too late 

for agriculture.

Precipitation during the summer period 

ranged from less than 10 percent of normal 

in central Wyoming to 125 percent or normal 

from northeastern Minnesota across northern 

Lower Michigan. August rainfall was well above 

normal in the eastern Midwest, but summer 

rainfall in the region was only about 50 percent 

of normal.

Average daily temperatures ranged from 

1°F to 3°F above normal in the eastern half 

of the region to 3°F to 5°F above normal in 

the western half. The very warm June-July 

period was tempered by near normal August 

temperatures across the region east of the 

Rockies. 

The U.S. Drought Monitor 

for August 21, 2012, the 

point at which D3 and D4 

(reds) were at the largest extent in the region

Intensity

 DO Abnormally Dry

 D1 Drought – Moderate

 D2 Drought – Severe

 D3 Drought – Extreme

 D4 Drought – Exceptional
Contact: Doug Kluck (doug.kluck@noaa.gov) Central Region Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook| September 2012 

www.drought.gov/portal/server.pt/community/reports

Regional - for June - August 2012

Regional Outlook - for Fall 2012 Central Region Partners

Agriculture

The drought and high heat severely impacted all sectors of 

agriculture throughout the region. USDA projects national 

corn production at 10.8 billion bushels, down 13% from 

2011 and the lowest production since 2006. Soybean 

production is expected to be down 12 percent from 2011.

Water Resources

Low water levels in residential wells and dry farm ponds 

were common throughout the region. It was reported that 

10 to 12 percent of the wells intended for fracking were on 

hold in Kansas due to lack of water. Surface water use for 

irrigation was stopped in Nebraska due to low river levels.

Wildfire

The Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs destroyed 346 

homes with insurance claims totaling $352.6 million. It is the 

most destructive fire in Colorado history, eclipsing the High 

Park fire near Fort Collins in June. As of August 31 the Waldo 

Canyon fire was still active but fully contained. 

Transportation

Low water levels on middle and lower Mississippi River 

resulted in a backup of barge traffic up and down the river. 

There were dozens of reports of roads buckling across a 

number of states during the peak of the heat in July, posing 

a danger to drivers and adding to road maintenance costs.

Drought Expected to Persist in Western Third of Region

Drought is expected to persist in the Central Plains throughout the fall, while improvement 

is expected east of the Mississippi River and in the Northern Plains. While a dry fall will 

be favorable for harvest, a dry fall followed by a drier than normal winter will mean that 

there will be little recharge of soil mositure prior to the next growing season. Persistent dry 

weather in the Plains will also threaten the upcoming winter wheat crop. 

NOAA Three Month Outlook

The temperature outlook for September through November indicates an increased 

probability of warmer than normal temperatures throughout the region, with the greatest 

chances across Minnesota and the Great Lakes. There is an equal chance for above, normal, 

or below normal precipitation for the entire region.

Midwestern Regional Climate Center

mrcc.isws.illinois.edu

High Plains regional Climate Center

www.hprcc.unl.edu

National Drought Mitigation Center

drought.unl.edu

National Integrated Drought Information System 

(NIDIS)

www.drought.gov

State Climatologists

www.stateclimate.org

National Weather Service Central Region

www.crh.noaa.gov/crh

North Central River Forecast Center

www.crh.noaa.gov/ncrfc

Missouri Basin River Forecast Center

www.crh.noaa.gov/mbrfc

National Climatic Data Center

www.ncdc.noaa.gov

NWS Climate Prediction Center

www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov

Climate Science Program, Iowa State University

climate.engineering.iastate.edu

WaterSMART Clearinghouse, U.S. Dept. of Interior

www.doi.gov/watersmart/html/index.php

Western Governors’ Association

westgov.org

This map shows the number of days at or above 100°F in the Central Region this summer. 

Source: USDA