Drought in Indiana, September 1 to 30, 1999

The moderate summer drought took a considerable toll on crops across Southwest Indiana. Rainfall at Evansville for the three-month period from July through September was about 3 inches. This compares to a 3-month average of around 10 inches. Evansville received 0.39 inches in September, which was 3 inches below normal. The soybean crop suffered the greatest effects from the drought, with average yields estimated only about 20 percent of normal. Corn yields were much closer to normal, mainly due to heavy rains in June and early July, when the corn crop matures. The fire danger reached extreme levels at times. The governor of Indiana declared a total burning ban across all of Southwest Indiana. A wildland fire in mid-September scorched several hundred acres near Chandler, which is in Warrick County. A field fire early in the month occurred near Evansville at the junction of Interstate 164 and U.S. Highway 41. Although no evacuations were required, the westbound lanes of Interstate 164 were closed briefly due to smoke. A wildfire on September 27 burned about 150 acres just west of Owensville in Gibson County. Fire departments from throughout Gibson County and parts of Posey County worked to extinguish this fire.