Severe drought conditions continue in portions of west central Indiana as a result of prolonged hot and dry weather from July 17 through September 13.  According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, severe drought conditions are centered on a line from Terre Haute in Vigo County to Spencer in Owen County and include all of Vigo, Clay, Owen and much of Parke, Putnam, Greene, and Sullivan counties.
The heat wave of August 31-September 3, 2011 was very unusual.  There have been only 7 times since weather records began in 1871 that the temperature reached 99 degrees on 3 or more consecutive days. The four-day heat wave of August 31-September 3 was the hottest for so late in the season since September 13-15, 1939. The agricultural community has been affected the most as a result of the drought conditions.  Local reports indicated that crop yields in west central and portions of central Indiana will suffer as a result of the hot and dry weather during the summer.
Significant rainfall occurred in portions of central and southern Indiana on September 17-18.  Many areas received 1 to more than 3 inches of rainfall...the most since June 20. Recent rainfall of 3 to nearly 9 inches in September has ended the summer drought conditions in much of Indiana.  Most of this rainfall has occurred since September 14, with a large share of this rain falling from the 19th through the 25th.  After a dry summer at the Indianapolis airport, rainfall for September is the most since the record wet September of 2003.  Unfortunately, this recent rainfall came too late for many summer crops.

Drought in VIGO, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 26-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

On September 13th, the U.S. Drought Monitor placed all of Vigo County under a Severe (D2) Drought designation. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle and end of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in VERMILLION, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 26-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

On September 13th, the U.S. Drought Monitor placed the southern two thirds of Vermillion County under a Severe (D2) Drought designation. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle and end of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in LAWRENCE, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 20-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

On September 13th, the U.S. Drought Monitor placed the far northern portion of Jackson County under a Severe (D2) Drought designation. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in HENDRICKS, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 20-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe (D2) Drought designation for the southern quarter Hendricks County into the month of September from late August. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in BROWN, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 20-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe (D2) Drought designation for the northern third of Brown County into the month of September from late August. This increased to the entire county on the 13th. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in PARKE, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 26-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

On September 13th, the U.S. Drought Monitor placed a majority of Parke County under a Severe (D2) Drought designation. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle and end of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in GREENE, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 26-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

On September 13th, the U.S. Drought Monitor placed the northern three fourths of Greene County under a Severe (D2) Drought designation. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in JOHNSON, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 20-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe (D2) Drought designation for the southwest two thirds of Johnson County into the month of September from late August. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in MONROE, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 20-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe (D2) Drought designation for the far northern portion of Monroe County into the month of September from late August. This increased to the entire county on the 13th. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in SULLIVAN, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 26-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

On September 13th, the U.S. Drought Monitor placed the northern two thirds of Sullivan County under a Severe (D2) Drought designation. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in SHELBY, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 20-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

On September 13th, the U.S. Drought Monitor placed the far southwest corner of Shelby County under a Severe (D2) Drought designation. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in PUTNAM, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 27-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe (D2) Drought designation for the southeast portion of Putnam County into the month of September from late August. This increased to the southern three fourths of the county on the 13th. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in OWEN, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 27-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe (D2) Drought designation for the northeast quarter of Owen County into the month of September from late August. This increased to the entire portions of the county on the 13th. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in CLAY, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 26-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

On September 13th, the U.S. Drought Monitor placed all of Clay County under a Severe (D2) Drought designation. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle and end of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in BARTHOLOMEW, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 20-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe (D2) Drought designation for the far northwest corner of Bartholomew County into the month of September from late August. This increased to just less than the northwest half of the county on the 13th. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in JACKSON, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 20-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

On September 13th, the U.S. Drought Monitor placed the far northwest corner of Jackson County under a Severe (D2) Drought designation. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.

Drought in MORGAN, INDIANA
From 01-SEP-11 00:00:00 to 20-SEP-11 06:59:00 (EST-5)
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe (D2) Drought designation for Morgan County into the month of September from late August. No reports of impacts were received. Rains during the middle of the month alleviated some of the drought conditions, dropping the category to Moderate (D1) Drought designation.