Got drought?

[Conan The Librarian]

How's the rainfall in your area? I know it's drought not far from where I live in central minnesota, but here it's been unusually lush and green, with consistent rain. Usually grasses are turning brown by now, but they are still growing as if it were still May.
 
Is the dry weather causing any problems for you?
 
 

[guzzijohn]

My area in central Kanas has had 2.4 inches of rain since around May 1st and it was already quite dry before that. On August 1st I measured some cracks in my yard. They ranged from 14 to 34 inches deep. It does not appear that we will get any or very little soybeans or milo crop, just like last year. Conditions have been good for glider flying. One of my flying club members was able to fly his glider nonstop from Central Kansas (Hutchinson area) to Pecos, TX. 552 air miles!
GuzziJohn

[Conan The Librarian]

Yikes! That's one heck of a thermal!!! How long did that take?

[guzzijohn]

I did not hear what his time was. As booming as the day was and with the high performance glider he was flying I would guess that he averaged between 70-80mph, a long flight. An average tow takes two gallons of fuel so he average around 275mpg!
GuzziJohn

[Ranch13]

We're about 6 inches below normal precip for the year. Which is bad enough in itself but we finished up last year something like 3 inches short. Nearly record breaking temps and a most persistant wind have really gone about putting some folks out of the cattle business, and is poised to take more out if moisture doesn't come pretty quick. Not much wheat got harvested, and what did get cut was pretty sorriful.
 Hay producers with pivot irrigation are reporting 1/3 + crop reductions even while running the irrigation nearly 1/2 again as much.