Prairies remain starved for moisture, an incoming system could be the relief fire crews have been waiting for.
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Temperatures cool across southern Alberta Thursday with periods of additional rain showers before the system moves east Threat for torrential rains in parts of southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba through Friday with 30-50+ mm possible Sunshine and warming trend (back to more summer-like temperatures) during the long weekend with hot conditions returning next week
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Additional rainfall will continue across Alberta on Thursday before the system moves eastward by Thursday night.
Parts of southern Manitoba for example, have gone over a month without seeing any rain.
"And now some areas could see OVER a month’s worth of rainfall in just 24 hours," says Weather Network meteorologist Dr. Doug Gillham.
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Corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade have risen over 12 percent since the start of the year and are at an almost two-year high at $3.95-1/4 per bushel.
Eder Bueno, another farmer from northern Mato Grosso, said he is adopting a similar strategy as Bif.
Brazil’s second corn, which is planted after soybeans, accounts for roughly 70 percent of the country’s entire production and make it the world’s third largest producer after the United States and China.
Agroconsult estimates a 12 percent drop in Brazil’s second corn output this year, to 60.2 million tonnes, a projection that it plans to revise down even further, said André Debastiani, a partner at the consultancy.
Although futures sales are picking up, farmers are sitting on this year’s crop in hope prices will rise further.
As a result, domestic food processors and livestock operations are struggling to find sellers and reasonable prices this season.
Privately owned Cooperativa Aurora Alimentos has complained for weeks of "speculative retention" of corn in southern Brazil.
Tarso Veloso, an analyst with consultancy AgResource, said the dry weather in the south of Brazil is likely to damage more corn this year than in 2016, referring to the worst drought in recent memory.
Agroconsult estimates the corn deficit in the domestic market during the first half of 2018 at around 4 million tonnes.
(Reporting by Ana Mano; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) © Copyright Thomson Reuters 2018.

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Before too long, May will be over, and cattle producers in the Plains are concerned about summer grazing prospects.
According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, nearly the entire state of Kansas is experiencing some level of drought, except the far northwestern corner of the state.
According to the report, roughly 20 percent of U.S. pastures are in poor to very poor condition, more than 10 percent higher than this time last year.
“Hot, dry weather and short pastures obviously stress cows and reduce calf performance, and the effects can stretch into next year with lower conception rates from undernourished cows,” said Greg Henderson, editorial director for Drovers magazine.
According to Martin, the drought of 2011 covered a wider area than this drought, but the places impacted by drought are comparable to 2011.

During the 7-day period ending May 15, areas of locally heavy rain provided drought relief from the Plains to the East Coast, though much of the Southeast was dry.
According to the May 15 U.S. Drought Monitor released May 17, toward the end of the time frame, an influx of tropical moisture associated with a slow-moving disturbance generated heavy to excessive rainfall in Florida, with rain associated with this broad area of unsettled weather overspreading the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic States after the data cutoff for this week’s analysis; any rain that falls after 8 a.m., EDT Tuesday will be incorporated into the following week’s drought assessment.
In contrast, dry, hot weather maintained or exacerbated drought from the southern High Plains into the Southwest.
Likewise, despite the generally unsettled weather pattern, pockets of dryness and drought lingered or intensified in the Upper Midwest and northern Plains.
The overall trend toward improving conditions in the south contrasting with increasingly dry weather in the north continued in the High Plains.
From northeastern Colorado into central and southern Kansas, areas of moderate to heavy rain (1 to 3 inches) netted reductions in drought intensity and coverage.
The most significant improvements were made in south-central Kansas, where a large area of 2 to 4 inches of rain (locally more) fell on areas of Severe (D2) to Extreme (D3) Drought.
Moderate to heavy rain (1 to 3 inches) was similarly beneficial in northeastern Colorado, trimming the aerial extent of Abnormal Dryness (D0) and Moderate Drought (D1).
Farther north, outside of locally beneficial downpours (1-3 inches) in northwestern South Dakota, acute short-term dryness over the past 30 days resulted in expanding D0 across southwestern South Dakota, southeastern North Dakota, and northeastern Montana, while a more prevalent dry signal over the past 90 days (50 percent of normal or less) led to expanding D1 and D2 in northeastern North Dakota.

Ethiopia had been associated with war and drought for many years.
What is more important is, the double digit economic growth has enhanced the nation’s capability of resisting droughts and other man-made and natural disasters.
Since the agriculture based Ethiopian economy is highly reliant on rainfall, it has been affected severely due to lack of rain.
According to National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC), more than 20 million Ethiopians had been affected by the severe drought that broke out in the aforementioned fiscal year.
Since Ethiopia is found in drought prone zone, 7.8 million people need aid this fiscal year.
Commissioner Kassa underlined that to alleviate drought once and for all, Ethiopia has designed a policy which could ensure sustainable development.
Ensuring potable water, implementing water and soil conservation tasks, expanding irrigation projects, and undertaking reforestation activities are among the mechanisms being applied to fight drought and climate change catastrophes."
In addition to this, the state has been awarded globally for its water and soil conservation and environmental restoration activities," he said, adding, "the same is true for Somali state.
Furthermore, irrigation works are underway in Dubti, Afar State, to combat drought.
Water and social conversation, environmental restoration, small scale irrigation and empowerment of rural livelihoods should be the mechanisms which are fundamental for combating drought once and for all.

MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KKCO/KJCT)– Mesa County is in a severe drought right now and the forecasts for rain aren’t good.
If things get worse, voluntary water restrictions could become mandatory.
"We’re running at 6,500 CFS today, normally we’re double that this time of the season,” said Aldis Strautins, the service hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Grand Junction.
"You’re behind for many months and seasons and then that ends up and that’s why we’re in a severe drought,” said Strautins.
Ute Water is feeling those impacts along with the other water providers in the Grand Valley.
“That’s when we start to consider and evaluate mandatory water restrictions,” said Burtard.
The next two drought levels above severe are extreme and exceptional.
"We’re not there yet but there is a chance we can move that way,” said Strautins.
"We’re hoping we can get some more rainfall."
Ute water and the City of Grand Junction have to pull from different sources for water, which could result in some quality changes for those customers.

15 May 2017 – World Vision is rushing to respond to 1.2 millions of people affected by flooding in parts of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Truly, people are struggling to cope,” said Stephen Omollo, World Vision’s Vice President for East Africa.
Flooding has destroyed crops, killed livestock, damaged water and sanitation systems, and it has also disrupted schooling.
Kenya Heavy rains and flooding has displaced about 311,100 people, killed 132 and damaged more than 200 schools.
Already, in six counties affected, 1,450 families have been reached and another 36,000 people are expected to be provided assistance in the days to come.
There is an urgent need for food, water, health services and core relief items such as temporary shelter materials, blankets and hygiene kits.
World Vision Ethiopia aims to provide mosquito nets, mattresses, jerricans for carrying water, and cooking stoves to families affected by the flooding.
With the recent flooding in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, millions of people have been affected and thousands displaced.
People are living in makeshift shelters without food, clean water or adequate sanitation.
Key figures: Somalia: 718,000 people affected by flooding, 220,000 displaced Ethiopia: 170,000 people displaced by flooding Kenya: 311,000 people displaced by flooding About World Vision: World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

Acquafresca, now representing Mesa County on the district’s board, noted that we’re in a protracted drought with only four of the last 18 years recording above average snowfall in Colorado’s high country, the primary source of Colorado River water.
Expected stream flows in the Colorado River Basin, according to Knight, are worrisome.
All but the Rio Grande contribute to flows into Lake Powell, which are anticipated to be only 42 percent of average, fifth lowest in 54 years.
Do the math, using whatever daily amount you want, and the dollar loss to local economies hurts.
Powderhorn, we all know, went to partial weeks of skiing this past year, using only 50 employees in January when 300 would be normal.
The good news up here, higher on the river, is that we have enough municipal, agricultural and industrial water stored for one more dry year.
The Bureau of Reclamation says there’s a 52-percent chance water levels at Lake Mead might be low enough in 2019 to force cutbacks in water use in Arizona, Nevada and Mexico, chances that increase to 64 percent in 2020 and 68 percent in 2021.Before you say "so what?"
you need to know continued drought means we’ll be impacted up here, above the dividing line between the lower and upper basin states, as well.
No matter the snowpack and stream flow conditions, the 1922 Colorado River Compact requires lower basin states get their allocations first.
Those of us above that gauge get what’s left, most years a lesser amount.

The Aspen City Council on Monday voted unanimously to enact stage 1 water-shortage measures, with officials citing this winter’s low snowpack and drought conditions in the area.
The goal is to decrease community-wide water use, and the municipality will take mandatory conservation measures while Aspen water customers are asked to take voluntary measures.
“Aspen is lucky to have an environmentally aware community that we can count on to reduce water use during this dry year,” said Margaret Medellin, the city’s utilities portfolio manager, in a press release.
“The city will do its part by efficiently irrigating public spaces and being vigilant to avoid water waste.
Because we have minimal water storage there are no reservoirs to call on in lean times, and it is crucial that we respond quickly to drought conditions.” The voluntary community efforts associated with stage 1 are intended to conserve water and prepare the community for the potential of mandatory water restrictions if drought conditions worsen.
The municipality already has a robust water-conservation program that citizens can utilize for education and results-oriented actions, including: irrigation-efficiency assessments, commercial kitchen dish sprayer replacement, and water-efficiency fixtures included in energy home assessments.
A specific focus during drought conditions is irrigation, as it represents the most intensive use of water for all Aspen customers.
“We invite the community to take part in our irrigation-efficiency programs,” said Ryland French, city resource efficiency administrator.
“In stage 1, we want to help homeowners and landscapers understand that you can water the right amount so your yard is beautiful without being wasteful.” In an effort to help curtail water use in Aspen’s restaurants, the city is offering a high-efficiency dish sprayer installation program to commercial kitchens from May 29 to June 1.
Kitchens may reserve their free high-efficiency dish sprayer installation by emailing eh@cityofaspen.com.

While there is a chance for rain in our future, experts with the Texas Tech School of Agriculture say we need a couple of substantial showers to get us out of this drought and into a good growing season.
In 2011, Lubbock broke the record for worst drought since 1917 with around five inches of rain for the whole year.
"Some producers are still waiting to see if there is enough rain to see if it is worth it to get a crop going, so we are at a critical junction right now."
This drought will not only affect agriculture producers, but local businesses as well.
If you’re in a demographic where most of the economy is cotton farming and agriculture you better be concerned," Cruse said.
With no rain, the Texas Agriculture group loses and so will Lubbock.
"Those outlying towns are impacted pretty heavily, but that impacts people inside of Lubbock as well," Hudson said.
"We don’t think about it, but if you’re running a car dealership or you’re a sales person at Dillard’s, so many people are impacted by agriculture that as their income slows in flow it really makes a difference."
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