Abstract
The north-central United States, namely Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, experienced a severe drought during 1987-88 crop year. Monthly precipitation data of the crop year (September through August) were analyzed for 58 stations over the period 1964-65 through 1987-88 to quantify the intensity and extent of this drought. With the exception of a narrow strip in northern Minnesota the entire study area was affected by this drought. More than 92 percent of the stations experienced seven to eleven months of precipitation deficiency during this drought. Approximately 50 percent of the study area experienced precipitation deficiency of over 30 percent. South-central Iowa was affected severely with precipitation deficiency in excess of three standard deviations below normal, an extreme event that may occur one year in over 500 years.
Recommended Citation
Ahmed, Rafique
(1991)
"The 1987-88 Drought in Selected North-Central United States: The Dimensions of Precipitation Deficiency,"
The Geographical Bulletin: Vol. 33:
Iss.
1, Article 3.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol33/iss1/3