Drought Continues Growth Across South Dakota

PIERRE, (KCCR) — In the last week, drought conditions have greatly expanded across South Dakota. In fact, the only remaining areas of abnormally dry conditions extend in a narrow corridor from Wessington on the Hand/Beadle County line, west along Highway 14 to the Four Corners area of Stanley and Haakon County. That abnormally dry patch extends south into northern Jones and Lyman County. Extreme drought has exploded across Mellette County this week growing 23-percent to now taking up 45-percent of the county. Severe drought makes up at least 92-percent of Mellette County. Moderate drought increased eight-percent this week in Lyman County; 73-percent in Buffalo; 45-percent in Hand; 44-percent in Hyde and 93-percent in Sully County. Brule County is now 100-percent under moderate drought. Statewide, moderate drought expanded 13-percent while severe drought grew by 11-percent. Severe drought grew from the I-29 corridor from North Dakota to Nebraska and Iowa.