Bismarck Daily Bismarck Daily Bismarck Daily
    • Home
    • Advertise
    • About us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    17 Dec 2025
    • Bismarck Daily Bismarck Daily Bismarck Daily
    • Local News
    • State News
    • Politics
    • Crime News
    • Coronavirus
    • Sports
    • Community
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    Extreme drought conditions expanded in North Dakota this week despite precipitation
    Politics

    Extreme drought conditions expanded in North Dakota this week despite precipitation

    Ally Dillinger, 5 years ago
    MINOT, N.D. – The Minot area received some of the highest moisture totals in the state from the recent rain and snowfall with almost an inch of precipitation in places, particularly to the northeast of the city. However, even considering the precipitation, the U.S. Drought Monitor says more moisture is needed to reverse “extreme” drought conditions.

    Statewide the area now rated in extreme drought increased from 70% to 76% with 41 of 53 counties affected. The only part of the state that saw measureable relief from the recent precipitation producing events was the far southeast corner of North Dakota where an small area rated to be in moderate drought improved to “abnormally dry”.

    Here’s the assessment of the U.S. Drought Monitor:

    “Locally heavy amounts of rainfall, more than 2 inches, helped erase long moisture deficits in eastern South Dakota and southeastern North Dakota, resulting in improvements to moderate drought.

    In the remainder of the region, precipitation wasn’t enough to prevent worsening conditions. Moderate drought expanded in South Dakota and extreme drought expanded in both North and South Dakota to reflect the growing moisture deficits and its effect on soil moisture.”

    While the moisture received in the north-central part of the state, Ward County included, was indeed welcome and will improve soil moisture conditions in the short term, longer range outlooks are not generally favorable for alleviating extreme drought conditions.

    In a Drought Briefing issued by the National Weather Service in Bismarck on Thursday, it was noted that “widespread precipitation during the past week has helped slow down degradation, and improved drought in parts of eastern North Dakota.” However, added the NWS, “drought is likely to persist or worsen through the rest of spring and into summer.”

    North Dakota has been warmer and drier than average since October 2020, resulting in soil moisture well-below average across most of the state. According to the NWS the remainder of April is favored for both “below-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation” with more equal chances for both in May.

    After that, says the NWS, “there is an increasing signal for both above-average temperatures and below-normal precipitation across the state”, conditions that would lead to drought persisting or worsening. The NWS notes that there is always a possibility of changes to weather patterns but says “there is not indication of that happening.”:

    Much of the U.S. is dry or drier than North Dakota. While recent storms have brought drought improvement to parts of the Midwest and eastern Plains, much of the West, Southwest, and New England has seen deteriorating conditions.

    “Parts of the Southwest are now experiencing record levels of dryness for the last 12 months. In New England, year-to-date precipitation ranks in the top 10 driest on record,” concludes the Drought Monitor.

    Local News

    State bill to ban types of THC in North Dakota

    Local News

    Some UND athletes begin getting COVID-19 vaccinations

    Related posts

    Politics

    “Questionable” Anti-Gun Law takes effect – Here’s what it means!

    Ally Dillinger, 3 years ago
    Politics

    Missile squadron airmen start recycling program at Minot AFB

    Ally Dillinger, 5 years ago
    Politics

    Gov. Burgum vetoes penalizing state colleges over abortions

    Ally Dillinger, 5 years ago
    Politics

    Minot City Council limits organizations’ gaming site numbers

    Ally Dillinger, 5 years ago
    Politics

    Hoeven responds to bill that would defund next-gen missile system

    Ally Dillinger, 5 years ago
    Politics

    Federal government authorizes Minot’s flood control project to use federal funding

    Ally Dillinger, 5 years ago

    Follow us on Google News

    Follow us on Flipboard

    Trending Slider

    North Dakota Department of Transportation reminds landowners to keep snow out of highway right of way
    2 days ago
    North Dakota Highway Patrol reminds public of mental health support during the holidays
    2 days ago
    Governor Armstrong voices support for revised federal waters rule
    2 days ago
    Man who told poIice he became tired of hearing his parent verbaIIy scoIding him for his Iife choices and for not amounting to anything before he cIimbed on top of her and used a piIIow to kiII the eIderIy woman at her home, is charged
    3 days ago
    Woman who cIaims she ‘didn’t reaIize that she was being rough with 1-year-old baby in the moment’ after repeatedIy sIamming the chiId before the chiId’s head Ianded near the edge of the cot, causing severe injuries, is sentenced
    3 days ago
    North Dakota governor sets tentative special session for rural health funding
    1 week ago

    Follow us on News Break

    Categories

    • Bismarck (1)
    • Community (595)
    • Coronavirus (232)
    • Crime News (324)
    • Local News (615)
    • News (15)
    • Politics (260)
    • Sports (215)
    • State News (495)
    • Trending (335)
    • Uncategorized (1)
    • Login
    • Register

    Forgot Password

    Registration is closed.