Minor portions of northwestern Wyoming received relief from the drought for the week ending October 23, 2022, according to the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Some areas of the far northwest received moisture totals of 2.0 inches and above. Other areas of the State received lesser amounts of precipitation, and some of that was in the form of snow. For the vast majority of Wyoming, however, precipitation levels were at or below normal.

Temperatures were mostly above normal. Crook County saw the highest above average temperatures. Drought conditions worsened with the continued low precipitation and higher average temperatures.

According to the US Drought Monitor published on October 20, 2022, the amount of land rated drought free decreased to 14.2 percent, compared to 18.7 the previous week. The amount of land rated abnormally dry stood at 34.5 percent, compared to 34.8 percent last week. Moderate and Severe drought conditions both increased. Moderate drought stood at 28.5 percent, up 2.1 percentage points from last week. Severe drought conditions were found in 19.3 percent of the State, up 2.7 percentage points from the previous week. Extreme drought conditions were unchanged at 3.5 percent.

In Carbon County cattlemen were finding a higher than normal number of open cows during pregnancy checking. Localized moisture received at the beginning of October in Goshen County caused winter wheat to emerge. Farmers were waiting for moisture levels in corn to fall low enough to harvest. Calves were being sold.

Stock water supplies across Wyoming were rated 11 percent very short, 55 percent short, and 34 percent adequate, compared to 14 percent very short, 46 percent short, and 40 percent adequate last week.