The featured map presents unofficial IEM computed precipitation ranks for September based on state areal averaged data. A value of one would represent the wettest September since 1893 and 130 the driest. The pattern over the contiguous US is rather wild with the SW and NE corners being the wettest and a large chunk of the middle of country within the top ~20 driest. A major impact of this dryness and earlier growing season dryness is the decreased capacity of the Mississippi River to handle barge traffic due to low water stages. This barge traffic is critical for hauling away grain from the corn belt during harvest season. The forecast for this entire dry region continues to look rather meager.

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Tags:   sep22