Each day it appears more likely this year may challenge for being the driest ever.
Already the summer is one of the hottest ever, with temperatures near or above 100 degrees multiple times.
Through today, 2012 rainfall has totaled 15.40 inches in Iola. The all-time drought record occurred in 1936, with 22.31 inches.
Hope may be found in that by early August in 1936, the total was 8.54 inches, nearly seven inches less than this year.
Also, it isn’t far from the flip side of spring. During September, October and November average rainfall is 10.85 inches.
The drought has made farming a frustrating exercise. Corn, which held much promise early in the season, has burned to a crisp and soybeans, while still green in most fields, have started to lose leaves, a sign that their demise isn’t far off.
The corn harvest, such as it is, has started, with many fields making 20 or fewer — much fewer in some cases — bushels per acre.
Pasture grass has gone dormant and most farmers are having to hay cattle. Ponds are low — some are dry — and streams and creeks quit running weeks ago.
The long-range forecast holds little promise for rain, but temperatures are forecast to start to cool a little after this week.
The only comparable years for drought recently were 29.62 inches in 2006 and 29.57 inches in 2000. Average annual rainfall for Iola is 37.74 inches.
