BISMARCK, N.D. — Parts of North Dakota, Montana and South Dakota now are considered in extreme drought.
Extreme drought is the second worst category of drought after exceptional drought on the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The June 20 U.S. Drought Monitor, released June 22, showed 7.73 percent of North Dakota, 6.37 percent of Montana and 2.07 percent of South Dakota in extreme drought.
North Dakota also has 32.17 percent of its land in severe drought, 27.44 percent in moderate drought and 32.64 percent considered abnormally dry.
In North Dakota, the worst conditions earlier were in the central part of the state, but the June 22 release shows drought spreading and worsening throughout western North Dakota.
Bruce Schmidt, North Dakota State University Burleigh County ag and natural resource agent, says Burleigh County and other hard-hit areas received some rain, more than 2 inches in places, but counties to the west weren’t as lucky.
Montana’s worst conditions remain in the northeast, while South Dakota’s worst conditions remain in the north.
"The cool season grasses never received that April or May showers and because of that, we just missed out on that growing season completely," he explains.
Corn ranges from good to marginal, but the question whether it will make grain or have to be used as silage remains, Schmidt says.
Small grains are very short and are heading out, so some producers are thinking of cutting and baling it for livestock forage for themselves or to sell, Schmidt says.

Drought conditions worsen.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 27 percent of the state is in severe drought, up from 13.5 percent last week.
Those severe conditions spread into most of Burleigh County this week, which previously had a moderate drought rating.
All of Morton County is in severe drought, as well as all of McLean, Mercer, Oliver, Grant Sioux, Emmons and McIntosh counties.
Fireworks have long been banned within the city limits of Bismarck without a public display permit, but, with the dry conditions, a number of others municipalities have added temporary bans of their own.
No fireworks of any kind, regardless of the fire danger rating, may be launched in Lincoln or in Burleigh or Morton counties.
Mandan will decide Friday whether or not to ban them.
Mandan’s public displays, such as the one at Mandan Rodeo Days, would not be affected by a ban.
Chances of rain through the weekend range from 20 to 40 percent in the southwest and south central portions of the state.
Chances of at least one-quarter inch of rain Saturday are as high as 80 percent in the northeast, according to the National Weather Service.

Recent rains brought some relief to areas of the state in severe drought, but not nearly enough.
More than a half inch of rain was recorded by noon Tuesday in most of these areas, including Sioux, Emmons, Grant, Morton and Burleigh counties.
That number moved to about 2.75 inches below average after the recent rain.
This follows .04 inches in 1901, .09 inches in 1934 and .12 inches in 1936.
The forecast shows a daily chance of showers through Friday.
There will be some localized thunderstorms that will be a "hit or miss" with some areas receiving heavier rain than their neighboring towns.
There will be some cool, seasonable temperatures Wednesday, with highs in the 70s and maybe 80s in the eastern part of the state, according to NWS meteorologist Alex Edwards.
Multiple power outages were reported in the eastern part of the state as a result of the storm Tuesday.
Last week, Morton County also banned fireworks.
The U.S. Drought Monitor places most of Morton County and a small portion of Burleigh County in severe drought.