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Drought Extreme North- and South-Central, Retreating from Southwest and Black Hills

Published 2021-06-27 by Cory Allen Heidelberger

It’s been sprinkly here in Aberdeen this weekend, but there’s still a lot of dry grass around town. According to the latest University of Nebraska–Lincoln Drought Monitor, Brown County is just outside one of the two hottest drought spots in South Dakota:

UNL Drought Monitor, South Dakota map, conditions as of 2021.06.22.
UNL Drought Monitor, South Dakota map, conditions as of 2021.06.22.

The north and south ends of the Missouri River were the driest spots in South Dakota this week.

Luckily for tree lovers, the one spot in the state not lighting up the drought map is now the southern Black Hills, in a blob centered on Custer County. The United States Geological Service says fire danger in the Black Hills National Forest is accordingly low:

USGS Fire Potential Index SD 20210626
USGS Fire Potential Index, SD map, 2021.06.26.

But remember: you still can’t shoot fireworks in our national forests or state parks.

Published in South Dakota

7 Comments

  1. Guy

    This week, we’ve been getting regular rains with some intermentent downpours in the Northern Black Hills. I’m grateful for every drop of rain we get.

    2021-06-27
  2. Arlo Blundt

    Well…the folks back home tell me they had a decent first cutting of hay and that so far they have an at least fair looking corn crop in the Mitchell and Huron area. The relatively good news is from winter and hold over moisture as there hasn’t been enough rain to moisten the ground in many places. We need rain before the dry hot winds start blowing from the south, southwest.

    2021-06-27
  3. Porter Lansing

    Buy Them Fireworks, MAGA’s

    Imagine you’re blowing up the Capital.

    2021-06-27
  4. grudznick

    Here in the District numbered 30, we have lush grasses and we manage our private lands properly, so we shall be enjoying many a firework for the next couple of weeks. We will celebrate with love and respect for all.

    2021-06-27
  5. Curt

    Grudznick’s grasses are mostly in the bowl of his pipe.

    2021-06-27
  7. mike from iowa

    Sheldon iowa, where former RC mayor Sam Kooiker is city manager, has cautioned residents to limit water usage as drought continues and city wells can’t keep up with higher demand. Voluntary restrictions become mandatory if usage doesn’t drop. At least the third water district to announce concerns this Summer in iowa.

    2021-06-28

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