About 80 percent of North Dakota remains at least abnormally dry, and that isn’t likely to change anytime soon.
What moisture does come will likely lay on top, if it is doesn’t evaporate, he said.
"We’re waiting for what moisture winter brings us," Schlag said.
North Dakota saw a dry first half of summer with decent moisture later on, Schlag said.
Western farmers and ranchers were hit hard in particular, with dry soil and little runoff into livestock ponds.
The U.S. Drought Monitor indicates half the county is still experiencing severe drought, as are Divide and Williams counties.
Meanwhile, the Red River Valley is largely drought-free.
Kramlich and Schlag both said moisture will be vital to mitigate the remaining drought conditions.
But that will take time.
"Come next spring, it will be a bit nice to a bit more normal, and I take that with a grain of a salt because there isn’t such a thing as normal in North Dakota," Schlag said.