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Drought Conditions in the High Plains Region - Update October 11

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Source/Author: Joseph Brum - High Plains Regional Climate Center 10/11/12

Year-to-date total precipitation percent of normal for the High Plains Region

Image © High Plains Regional Climate Center

U.S. Drought Monitor-October 9, 2012

Image © National Drought Mitigation Center

Drought conditions remained the same this week in the High Plains Region. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the total area of moderate drought (D1) or worse conditions in the Region remained the same. The area of D1 or worse in the Region totals 99.61%, a 0.01% decrease from last week. Again the only area that is not in a drought category is a small portion northwestern Wyoming, which is in the abnormally dry (D0) category. As with D1 in the Region, all categories of drought remained about the same this week compared to last week. Precipitation that fell in North Dakota helped slightly, by decreasing the area of severe drought (D2) or worse by 0.5%.  Colorado had a 2.38% improvement in exceptional drought (D4) category this week.   To learn more about the U.S. Drought Monitor, please see: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu

Although the overall numbers for the region remained the same, South Dakota saw its drought conditions worsen. Area of D2 or worse increase 9% this week, the area now totals 91.39% of the state. Area of extreme drought also increased this week by 2%, to now total 52.65%. Due to the lack of precipitation east of the Badlands, D4 type drought expanded in central South Dakota. The increase in area was a little more than 5.5%, to now total 32.57% of the state. Check out the table below for the drought conditions over the past month for South Dakota. For more on the drought situation in South Dakota check out this site:  http://drought.sd.gov/

To view more statistics of the High Plains Region and each state check out the Tabular Statistics here: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_highplains.htm

 

    Drought Condition (Percent Area): South Dakota

 Date

 None

 D0-D4

 D1-D4

 D2-D4

 D3-D4

  D-4
 10/09/2012   
 0.00   
 100.00   
 100.00   
 91.39  
 52.65   
 32.57
 10/02/2012
  0.00
  100.00
  100.00  82.30  50.48  27.00
 09/25/2012
  0.00  100.00  100.00

 74.69

  50.53  6.72
 09/18/2012
  0.00  100.00  96.07  68.27  50.61  4.77
 09/11/2012
  0.00  100.00  91.55  68.04  50.37  4.77
 09/04/2012
  0.00  100.00  91.45  68.99  49.84  4.77

 

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