K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory (EASAL) produces weekly Vegetation Condition Report maps. These maps can be a valuable tool for making crop selection and marketing decisions.
The objective of these reports is to provide users with a means of assessing the relative condition of crops and grassland. The maps can be used to assess current plant growth rates, as well as comparisons to the previous year and relative to the 25-year average. The report is used by individual farmers and ranchers, the commodities market, and political leaders for assessing factors such as production potential and drought impact across their state.
NOTE TO READERS: The maps below represent a subset of the maps available from the EASAL group. If you’d like digital copies of the entire map series please contact Nan An at nanan@ksu.edu and we can place you on our email list to receive the entire dataset each week as they are produced. The maps are normally first available on Wednesday of each week, unless there is a delay in the posting of the data by EROS Data Center where we obtain the raw data used to make the maps. These maps are provided for free as a service of the Department of Agronomy and K-State Research and Extension.
The maps in this issue of the newsletter show the current state of photosynthetic activity in Kansas, the Corn Belt, and the continental U.S., with comments from Mary Knapp, service climatologist:
Figure 1. The Vegetation Condition Report for Kansas for December 23 – January 5 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that only a small portion of southeast Kansas missed out on snow during the period. The greatest snow cover, as of January 8th was in the center of the state.
Figure 2. Compared to the previous year at this time for Kansas, the current Vegetation Condition Report for for December 23 – January 5 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that a section of central through northeast Kansas has much higher NDVI readings. This area has had more favorable temperatures and moisture than last year at this time.
Figure 3. Compared to the 26-year average at this time for Kansas, this year’s Vegetation Condition Report for December 23 – January 5 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that most of the state has close to normal NDVI readings. The Southwestern and South Central Divisions have the biggest increase over the average. Favorable moisture in December has been beneficial.
Figure 4. The Vegetation Condition Report for the Corn Belt for December 23 – January 5 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that snow cover missed the extreme southeastern portions of the region. Snow coverage is increasing in the Northern Plains, where some locations have had the latest start to snow cover in recent memory.
Figure 5. The comparison to last year in the Corn Belt for the period December 23 – January 5 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that there is an area of higher NDVI readings from central Kansas through eastern Iowa and southern Wisconsin. Snow depth in these areas is lighter than last year at this time. In the Panhandle of Nebraska, however, maximum snow depth for the period averaged 8.4 inches, with the highest total reported as 17 inches at Dalton. Last year, for the same period the average maximum depth was 1.3 inches, and the greatest depth was just 2 inches (reported at multiple locations).
Figure 6. Compared to the 26-year average at this time for the Corn Belt, this year’s Vegetation Condition Report for December 23 – January 5 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that there is a significant area of below-average NDVI readings, particularly in South Dakota and parts of Nebraska, where snow coverage is greater than usual. Higher-than-average NDVI readings are most prominent in northern Minnesota and southern Wisconsin.
Figure 7. The Vegetation Condition Report for the U.S. for December 23 – January 5 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that snow coverage penetrated south to central Texas. Snow in the southern areas was short-lived. It is also noticeable that the snow levels along the West Coast are higher than is typical. Despite the notable storm in Southern California, most of the snow occurred at higher elevations, with rain at the mid and lower levels.
Figure 8. The U.S. comparison to last year at this time for the period December 23 – January 5 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that NDVI readings are lower in the Mountain West and northwestern Nebraska. On January 5, 2015 the average snow depth in the Northwest was 11.6 inches, with 48 percent coverage. Last year, the average snow depth was 6.5 inches and the coverage was just 27 percent.
Figure 9. The U.S. comparison to the 26-year average for the period December 23 – January 5 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that much higher-than-average NDVI values are concentrated on the West Coast and New England. Lower-than-average values are centered in the Northern Plains, in South Dakota and Nebraska. Wet conditions along the Pacific Northwest, along with the higher elevation levels for the transition from rain to snow have allowed for greater NDVI values in these areas. In the Northeast, snow coverage and depths are less than last year at this time. Current snow coverage is 75 percent with an average depth of 7 inches. Last year, coverage was 100% with an average depth of 15 inches.
