1 / 2 FARGO — Much of eastern North Dakota has endured abnormally dry weather but has escaped drought conditions.
Over the past 90 days, Fargo has received 52 percent of normal rainfall, according to the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network.
Lawns that are just starting to parch could quickly turn brown if the forecast, which calls for highs in the 90s later this week and little chance of rain, holds.
The WDAY forecast indicates temperatures could creep above 90 degrees starting today, July 5, cool slightly for a day or two, then possibly return above 90 Saturday and Sunday, with the possibility of 90-degree temperatures continuing into next week, she said.
Hotter air can hold more water, drawing moisture from soils and plants, said Adnan Akyuz, North Dakota’s state climatologist.
He added: "The plants are going to lose water fast," assuming temperatures linger in the upper 80s and low 90s as predicted.
Almost the entire state — 99.98 percent — is at least abnormally dry, and two-thirds of the state is in at least moderate drought, while 46.9 percent is in extreme drought.
Ross, west of Minot, has received only 26 percent of normal rainfall — 1.93 inches — over the past three months, according to NDAWN figures.
At the other end of the scale, areas of the northern Red River Valley have received above-normal rainfall.
Grand Forks, where 8.58 inches of rain has fallen in the past three months, is at 117 percent of normal precipitation.