Daily rainfall through June 22.  Tongliao is in eastern Inner Mongolia, an arid area where most crops are irrigated.  An extended dry period from mid-April through June 12 caused water levels to drop in rivers and reservoirs, depleted the soil moisture and stressed emerging crops. Although conditions in 2006 were very dry, the drought was much worse in 2004, when the city only received 10 mm of rain in over 100 days.  Cool temperatures in April delayed the start of the planting season, while warm temperatures in May increased evaporation losses.