The fall season in Kentucky often features a dry period. Many farmers are facing tougher challenges than usual.
“For what is typically the driest time of year, it’s been taken to another level in 2022,” said University of Kentucky Agricultural Meteorologist Matt Dixon.
Dixon said it’s been about a month with less than normal rainfall, three inches below normal. He said two-thirds of the state is abnormally dry. Moderate to severe drought conditions are being recorded, mainly in western Kentucky. Pastures have been hit hard with some farmers feeding winter hay already. Less use of fertilizers, according to Dixon, has also meant less hay production.
Grain crops have suffered. And Dixon noted combines used for harvesting have caught fire.
“Just a small spark in these dry conditions can light the combine on fire and, in some cases, that can expand to the field as a whole,” said Dixon.
In addition to the past four weeks, Dixon noted farmers also faced a shut off of rain in June, typically a key growing period.
Dixon said it was a similar situation three years ago, but then a change in the air occurred.
“Back in 2019 the state then saw it’s fourth wettest October on record. Unfortunately, we’re not expecting that to happen this year. We have a couple of opportunities for rain over the next week but as it sits now I’m not seeing much in the way of any drought busters,” said Dixon.
The ag meteorologist added there are reports of farm ponds drying up and the Mississippi is narrowing. In fact, Dixon noted some dredging of the Mississippi is being undertaken. And looking ahead, the national weather service is predicting above normal temperatures in the months of October, November, and December. But Dixon says the precipitation expectations are harder to read at this point.
