During a four and a half month period, from June to the middle of October, abnormally dry conditions prevailed across most of the Jackson, MS County Warning Area (CWA). Widespread drought conditions were reported across the area during this time period. The U.S. Drought Monitor classified the drought as extreme (D3) over Southeast Mississippi. Drought conditions in the region peaked in intensity during early August over this area. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor severe drought conditions (D2) and a small area of extreme drought conditions (D3) prevailed across the remainder of Mississippi, northern portions of Northeast Louisiana, and Southeast Arkansas. These regions peaked in intensity around the 2nd week in September. Drought conditions were alleviated completely during the last half of October when well above normal rainfall occurred. The drought had significant impact on the agricultural industry. Non-irrigated crops were destroyed and all other sustainable crops produced a below normal yield. Catfish ponds were drawn down to severe levels and required water to be pumped back into the fish ponds. The cattle industry suffered due to low watering ponds and lack of sufficient grasslands for grazing and hay production. Water supply problems were encountered by those cities who obtained water from local rivers for drinking purposes due to the low river flows. Fire threat was significant causing the issuance of burn bans across the CWA.
Drought conditions over the Jackson, MS CWA had their origins dating back to last fall when well below normal rainfall occurred over the area. The lack of much above normal rainfall from January to March and drier than normal conditions over most of the area during the months of April and May of 2006 allowed soil moisture to deplete much earlier than usual.
High pressure dominated June weather over the CWA. The U.S. Drought Monitor first declared D2 Drought over the WFO Jackson extreme southeast counties in its June 6th release. June rainfall was well below normal over most of the CWA where most areas received less than half of their normal rainfall of 4 inches. By the June 13th release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, D2 conditions had moved into Southwest Mississippi and D3 conditions had moved into the WFO Jackson extreme southeast counties. D2 and D3 conditions remained confined to South Mississippi during the remainder of the month.
Weather during July was once again dominated by high pressure. Rain was less than a third of its normal 4 inches over Central Mississippi, Southeast Arkansas, and much of the Yazoo Delta Region. Southern portions of Northeast Louisiana actually received normal to above normal precipitation for the month. Rainfall elsewhere was half to three quarters of its normal 5 to 8 inches. D2 and D3 drought conditions remained over South Mississippi until the July 18th issuance of the U.S. Drought monitor when D2 conditions pushed into Southeast Arkansas and northern areas of Mississippi in the CWA. D3 conditions prevailed over much of Southeast Mississippi. Central Mississippi and East Central Mississippi experienced borderline D3 conditions. Rainfall over this area was well below normal during June and July.
August weather was also drier than normal over most areas with the exceptions of above normal rainfall over Southeast Arkansas, portions of Northeast Louisiana, and Southeast Mississippi. Rainfall ranged from a third to three quarters of its normal 2 to 4 inches over central and northern portions of the CWA in Mississippi. In Southeast Mississippi, drought conditions peaked early in the month. Afternoon showers and thunderstorms returned to Southeast Mississippi giving the area some much needed relief. By the end of the month, increase in shower activity over South Mississippi removed the D3 conditions from the Southeast Mississippi and removed D2 conditions from the remainder of South and Southwest Mississippi. Only D2 conditions prevailed in extreme eastern portions of Southeast Mississippi. D2 conditions prevailed across the remainder of Mississippi, Southeast Arkansas, and northern portions of Northeast Louisiana. The only exceptions were borderline D3 conditions in Central and East Central Mississippi and a small area of D3 conditions from Sharkey to southern Bolivar Counties.
Frontal systems began to push into the area during the month of September. Rainfall occurred over many areas during the month. The heaviest rainfall occurred over the northern most portions of the CWA in Mississippi during the month. The least rainfall occurred from Central Mississippi into East Central Mississippi. Drought conditions peaked around the middle of the month over central and northern portions of the CWA as frontal systems moved across the area. D3 drought conditions disappeared from the CWA and the D2 area contracted to a small portion of the Yazoo Delta Region. Borderline D2 conditions continued from Central Mississippi to East Central Mississippi where only half its normal 3 to 4 inches rainfall occurred during the month.
The first half of October started off with high pressure in control and little or no rainfall over most areas. The second half of October closed out the D2 drought conditions in the CWA when well above normal rainfall occurred. October rainfall ranged from 4 inches in East Central Mississippi to 19 inches over Northeast Louisiana.

Drought in ASHLEY, ARKANSAS
From 01-OCT-06 00:00:00 to 16-OCT-06 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 1.00M
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Drought in CHICOT, ARKANSAS
From 01-OCT-06 00:00:00 to 16-OCT-06 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 3.00M
Reported by: Other Federal Agency