PIERRE — Heavy rains last week have made significant change to the U-S Drought Monitor map across South Dakota. Two-inch plus rainfall amounts in some locations have moved areas of no drought into much of Hand and northern Hyde County along with a sliver of eastern Potter County. Abnormally dry conditions now extend into southern Hand, much of Hyde, northern Buffalo and eastern Hughes, Sully and Potter Counties. Moderate drought now extends through central Lyman, western Tripp, northern Brule, southern Buffalo, central Hughes and south central Sully Counties along with much of Jackson and eastern and western Mellette. Much of central South Dakota remains in severe drought including Stanley, Jones, Haakon, northern Jackson, southern Ziebach and Dewey, central Mellette and eastern and western Lyman. Extreme drought has been removed from much of the state except for a small area near the Charles Mix-Bon Homme County border.
