Extreme Drought Conditions Expand Across South Dakota.
15% of South Dakota Under Extreme Drought Conditions… Part Of Possible Long Term Area The bad news continues for corn and soybean farmers across the South Dakota; the drought conditions have worsened across central portions of the state with now 15% of South Dakota underneath extreme drought conditions.
The latest data from the Drought Mitigation Center shows a small area of extreme drought conditions developing in south parts of the Missouri River Valley.
The latest drought data shows a small area of extreme drought conditions developing in Lyman, Tripp, Jerauld, Brule and Buffalo counties and, though outside the forecast area, the extreme drought conditions also expanded in Meade, Ziebach as well as Haakon counties.
While 15% of South Dakota, around 4% of the state’s population, is underneath the extreme drought, over half of the state is either underneath moderate or severe drought conditions.
Another small area of severe drought conditions have developed in northeastern Nebraska to include Clay county.
Extreme Drought Patches, July 27th Some more potentially bad news is that parts of the Sioux Empire… the drought could become a long term drought.
In addition, small parts of Campbell, Walworth and Edmunds counties have seen enough rain since the last drought update, which was on July 20th, to only be in severe drought conditions.
There’s more good news; the Climate Prediction Center has scaled back on the percentage chance of seeing drier than normal conditions for the Sioux Empire over the next two weeks.
Their one month and three month outlook also places the Sioux Empire and Northern Plains in a equal chance to see either drier or wetter than normal conditions.