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The Turlock Irrigation District (TID) is allowing its farmers about 60% of normal supplies amid a third year of drought. The irrigation season began on March 29 with an allotment of 27 inches through the season which will end on Oct. 12. The Modesto Irrigation District, which also draws water from Don Pedro Reservoir like the TID, has designated 30 inches for its irrigators. The Merced Irrigation District will provide just 1.1 acre-feet of water, or about 13 inches, from the Merced River. The Modesto Bee (Calif.), March 28, 2022

Drought is drying up pastures earlier for a Santa Rosa dairy farmer who expects to spend at least $2,500 per load of hay for his cows. His water allocation from the Santa Rosa reclaimed water program rose slightly. In Solano County, some almond growers were replacing their trees with olive trees to curb water use. North Bay Business Journal (Santa Rosa, Calif.), March 28, 2022

As California enters its third year of drought, Gov. Gavin Newsom told cities and other local water agencies to curb water use and enact stage two of their water shortage contingency plans, but did not order mandatory statewide cutbacks as Gov. Jerry Brown did years ago. Newsom has asked for water conservation of 15% to little avail. Water conservation in January was less than 6%. California’s major reservoirs averaged about 69% of capacity, per the Department of Water Resources. Shasta Lake is about half full. The Sierra snowpack is about 39% of normal and has largely evaporated. Gov. Newsom also urged the State Water Resources Control Board to consider banning irrigation of “non-functional” grass, which would include decorative grass around commercial and industrial buildings. The governor also was expediting help for Central Valley communities that were affected by drought and urgently needed bottled water or other emergency supplies. He would hasten state agency approvals needed “to protect fish and wildlife where drought actions threaten their health and survival.” The Sacramento Bee (Calif.), March 28, 2022

A state of disaster declaration was also made for Medina County where Das Goat Fire has burned more than 1,000 acres since March 25. ABC News (New York), March 28, 2022 Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 11 counties in response to wildfire activity as high winds, low humidity and drought elevated the fire risk. The 11 counties are Brooks, Brown, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Grayson, Mason, Potter, Randall, Reynolds, and Williamson. Office of the Governor - Greg Abbott (Texas), March 18, 2022

Each year the Cleveland National Forest conducts prescribed burns from January to May 2022, if weather and fuel moisture conditions permit. The objectives of the projects are to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire to people and communities, create conditions which offer a safer and more effective wildfire response, foster more resilient ecosystems, and minimize the effects of large wildfires on the landscape. In fiscal year 2022, the Forest's target for fuels reduction is 3,500 acres. 2,000 acres of planned prescribed fire, and 1,500 acres of mechanical treatments which is a combination of mastication, cut and pile with chainsaws.When implementing these projects, fire managers follow a burn plan that outlines the “prescription” or environmental conditions such as temperature, wind, fuel moisture, ventilation and relative humidity that need to be present before the project begins. When the criteria are met, crews implement, monitor, and patrol each burn to ensure it meets the...

Siouxland producers would be wise to assess pasture condition to determine future feed needs. Some drought-affected pastures will need moisture and some time to regrow. The lack of snow this winter may also have allowed more winter kill. Sioux City Journal (Iowa), March 27, 2022

 3/28 Prescribed Fire Update: Everything looking good with Upper Cane Burn. Ridge Road is now open to the public for use. BLM Fire Crews will continue to monitor.....precipitation expected in the

South Dakota farmers and ranchers expect drought to persist into spring. A corn and soybean farmer admitted that extremely high input costs make him and fellow farmers nervous with the dry conditions. Stock ponds and surface water are lower than usual for this time of year. KSFY-TV ABC 13 Sioux Falls (S.D.), March 27, 2022

No watches are valid as of Mon Mar 28 13:28:02 UTC 2022.

No Mesoscale Discussions are in effect as of Mon Mar 28 13:28:02 UTC 2022.

SPC 1300Z Day 1 Outlook
Day 1 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0744 AM CDT Mon Mar 28 2022 Valid 281300Z - 291200Z ...NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST... ...SUMMARY... Isolated thunderstorms are possible across portions of the western United States. ...Synopsis... A large, complex, mid/upper-level cyclone with multiple/smaller- scale circulations and low-height centers will persist over eastern Canada and the northeastern CONUS. However, upstream ridging will shift eastward across the Plains States as a major synoptic trough moves through the West. The latter trough is anchored by a cyclone now evident in moisture-channel imagery west of CA, near 127W. By 00Z, the associated 500-mb low should be over near-coastal central CA, roughly between MRY-SBA, with trough northward across the interior Pacific Northwest. By 12Z tomorrow, the cyclone should reach southeastern CA and southern NV, with trough north- northeastward across the northern Rockies and southward over northern Baja. A series of vorticity maxima will orbit the cyclone, within about 300 nm radius of the 500-mb low. Isolated thunderstorms are possible today amidst height falls, across a broad swath of the western CONUS. Large-scale ascent ahead of the synoptic trough and the embedded cyclone will steepen low/ middle-level lapse rates, with at least marginally supportive moisture. ...Southern CA... A few somewhat organized thunderstorms -- with small hail and strong gusts -- may occur within either of two main ascent/convective bands forecast to affect near-coastal southern CA this afternoon and evening: 1. A corridor of convection along/ahead of the low-level cold- frontal zone, and in a regime of prefrontal warm advection. This activity is evident from near an MER-SBP line to the western Channel Islands, and should shift slowly eastward today, progressively affecting points farther southeast on the coastline from SBA-LAX-SAN through the daylight hours. Forecast soundings suggest weak low/ middle level lapse rates will limit both buoyancy and convective depth, with MLCAPE holding under 200 J/kg, and an inversion layer capping most (but not necessarily all) convection short of layers supporting lighting generation. 2. An arc of post-frontal convection with a few more embedded thunderstorms possible, nearer to the cold core of the mid/upper cyclone. Cooling aloft, at a greater pace than near the surface, will steepen lapse rates and support MLCAPE 100-400 J/kg, but with veered/substantially westerly near-surface winds away from local orographic influences, keeping low-level and deep shear weak. ..Edwards/Broyles.. 03/28/2022 Read more

As spring planting nears, farmers are weighing a lot of variables from drought, fertilizer and pesticide shortages and high prices to high grain prices and other factors. Many farmers listed weather and drought as their topmost concern. DTN – Progressive Farmer (Burnsville, Minn.), March 26, 2022

The Hayfield South Fire has been turned back to the King Ranch staff who will patrol and monitor.  Texas A&M Forest Service resources have been released. Today's posting will be the final

Pending favorable conditions, fire managers on the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) may implement prescribed fire on multiple units on the Kiowa Rita Blanca Ranger District as early as Fri., March 25th and possibly continue thru Fri., April 15th if necessary.The decision to proceed continues to depend on multiple factors, including resource availability, fuel moisture levels, air quality and forecast weather. Prescribed burns are designed to meet specific objectives and are always managed with firefighter and public safety as the first priority. Prescribed fires are one of the most effective tools available to resource managers for restoring fire-adapted ecosystems and reducing the risk of high-severity wildfire. Fire managers use prescribed fire to improve forest health, remove hazardous fuels, increase firefighter safety, enhance wildlife habitat, and protect communities and

Firefighters are currently engaged in wildfire suppression in Erath County, located approximately 15 miles northeast of Stephenville, TX. The Big L Fire started on March 20, 2022 at approximately 2:00 pm under extreme fire conditions. Texas A&M Forest Service is in unified command with local fire departments. The fire is burning in grass and brushy fuels with high potential for growth. Multiple aviation resources are present on the fire. A TFR is in place NOTAM 2/6839.

No watches are valid as of Fri Mar 25 13:45:02 UTC 2022.

No Mesoscale Discussions are in effect as of Fri Mar 25 13:45:02 UTC 2022.

SPC 1300Z Day 1 Outlook
Day 1 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0737 AM CDT Fri Mar 25 2022 Valid 251300Z - 261200Z ...NO THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST... ...SUMMARY... No thunderstorm areas are forecast over the conterminous U.S. ...Synopsis/Discussion... Mean mid/upper-level troughing over the eastern CONUS will be maintained as a series of shortwaves and small cyclones pass through the associated cyclonic-flow field, south of a synoptic cyclone with multiple centers located over southeastern Canada. A leading shortwave trough --- evident in moisture-channel imagery over the Carolinas and GA to the northeastern Gulf -- will eject northeastward across the NC/VA Tidewater and Delmarva Peninsula around 18Z, while weakening rapidly. A trailing open-wave trough -- now over the Tennessee Valley region -- should pivot across eastern NC by around 00Z, then offshore soon thereafter. Isolated thunder cannot be ruled out near the southeastern NC coastline and ahead of this perturbation, in the associated regime of DCVA/cooling aloft and steepening midlevel lapse rates. However, potential over land currently appears too isolated for a general-thunder designation. A weaker perturbation -- currently over IA -- will follow closely, moving across SC then offshore between 00-06Z. Finally, a compact cyclone should develop from a strong shortwave trough now over the Upper Midwest. The resultant 500-mb low should reach the CLE vicinity by 12Z tomorrow. Ridging aloft will prevail west of the Rockies. At the surface, most of the central/eastern CONUS will remain under the influence of continental/polar air following yesterday's frontal passage out over Gulf/Atlantic waters. Weak lee troughing should form just east of the Rockies under mid/upper northwesterlies. The air mass in general should remain too dry and/or stable for areas of thunderstorms. ..Edwards/Broyles.. 03/25/2022 Read more