The latest Drought Monitor shows that drought continues to worsen in the southern High Plains.
Across the continental U.S., 0.55 percent of the country is in D4 (Exceptional) drought.
A growing region of D3 (Extreme) drought conditions covers much of western Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, southwest Kansas and extends westward to include northern New Mexico, Arizona, southern Colorado and portions of Utah.
According to the Oklahoma Mesonet system, the Panhandle region of Oklahoma, which includes five counties in northwest Oklahoma and the panhandle, are, for the last 120 days, the driest on record in the entire data period since 1921.
This region has received 1.21 inches of rain, 22 percent of normal for the period.
Nearly as bad are the North Central region (eight counties) with the ninth driest period and the Southwest region (eight counties) with the 11th driest for this time period.
In contrast, the southeast region of the state (five counties bordering Arkansas and northeast Texas) is currently experiencing the eighth wettest 120-day period since Dec. 2, with 22.5 inches of rain, 153 percent of normal precipitation.
The drought has significantly altered winter stocker cattle production and marketing this year.
In the last six weeks from mid-February to the end of March, combined auction totals in the state were down 16.7 percent year over year.
The early marketing of winter grazing cattle has affected the timing of feedlot placements and has implications for seasonal feedlot marketings in the coming months.