All of Arkansas is in some form of drought this week for the first time since August 2012, an agency that monitors climate conditions across the United States reported.
Nearly two-thirds of the state -- mostly the central portion -- is considered to be in "severe drought," meaning the area is 3-4 inches below average for rain during the past 30 days.
Although most of the state saw some rainfall Wednesday and Thursday, it wasn't enough to stop the drought's progress, said Richard Heim, a meteorologist for the National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville, N.C.
Heim wrote the weekly drought report issued by the U.S. Drought Mitigation Center based at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The center assesses drought conditions across the nation each Thursday, basing its evaluations on rainfall, temperatures, soil moisture and other climate data.
"Arkansas could see some brief improvement next week with the rains," Heim said. "But unless you get a series of storm systems that bring 5 to 10 inches of rain, it doesn't look very encouraging for the long run."
The worst areas of the drought are in the extreme southwest and southeast corners of the state, which each received ratings of "extreme drought," meaning the areas are 4-5 inches below average for rainfall over the past 30 days.
"We've got buckshot ground," said Sam Angel, owner of Epstein Gin Co. in Lake Village, referring to dry, beaded, clay soil. "The ground is cracking."
It's been difficult for farmers, Angel said. Excessive rain fell in August, when farmers generally plant their crops. Now it's been 30 to 40 days since any measurable rainfall.
"We could have irrigated in August," he said. "We need that rain now. It's affected all the crops here."
Chicot County farmers plant cotton, rice and wheat, he said.
Guy Ames, owner of Ames Orchards and Nursery in Fayetteville, said he has to soak his ground to get plants out of the parched land.
"It's so dry, I have to water the ground so I can dig up my plants," he said. "I've never seen it this bad."
It's rare for a drought to last this long in the South at this time of year, Heim said.
An upper-level high-pressure ridge high parked over Alabama and Mississippi has kept storm-producing systems at bay for the past three months. More than 35 percent of Alabama is deemed in "exceptional drought," meaning the area is more than 5 inches below normal for rainfall over the past 30 days.
All of Mississippi also is considered to be in some form of drought, according to the mitigation center. Three months ago, only 19 percent of the state was in drought.
"Precipitation is below normal, and temperatures are above average," Heim said. "Those come together and quickly expand the drought."
He said the high-pressure ridge over the southeastern United States also will affect Arkansas because storm systems will often veer to the north, away from the state.
"This is a rarity," he said of the growing drought this late in the year. "But we do have a dry fall and winter so far and that helps expand it."
According to the National Weather Service in North Little Rock, most of the state is well below average for rainfall in November.
Fort Smith has recorded 0.5 inch of rain from Nov. 1 to Wednesday. Its average rainfall total for the same period is 3.45 inches. Little Rock, with an average rainfall total of 3.96 inches in November, has received only 0.73 inches of precipitation so far.
In Northwest Arkansas, Fayetteville saw 0.32 inch of rain from Nov. 1 to Wednesday. It averages 3.28 inches of rain during the same period, the weather service said.
Heavy rains Tuesday and Wednesday helped briefly in some areas, said National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Buonanno of North Little Rock.
Waldron, in Scott County, recorded the most rainfall this week in the state with 3.3 inches. Booneville measured 2.75 inches, and Dardanelle saw 1.9 inches.
Still, the state needs more rain, he said.
"It's been a while since we've had a strong system," Buonanno said.
Forecasters are calling for more rain Monday and Tuesday with the potential for heavy showers in the state's south.
"We don't expect too much with this system, but it could help conditions a bit," Buonanno said.
State Desk on 11/26/2016