PIERRE, (KCCR) — After weeks of improving drought conditions across the middle of South Dakota dry areas have expanded this week. This week’s update of the U-S Drought Monitor for the state shows an area of abnormally dry conditions expanding west, roughly along the Interstate 90 corridor. Drought-free areas dropped from 64 to 17-percent in Lyman County. Abnormally dry areas grew from 36 to now 82-percent of Lyman County. Jones County saw abnormally dry areas grow by 48-percent. Haakon and Jackson County are both 41-percent abnormally dry. Mellette County is now 85-percent abnormally dry while Tripp County saw D-0 drought grow by six-percent to 66-percent. Hughes County saw abnormally dry area grow in the southeast part of the county. Hughes County went from zero to 49-percent abnormally dry. The southeast corner of Brule Country remains in the worst central South Dakota drought at six-percent in moderate drought. Statewide, abnormally dry conditions expanded by 10-percent while moderate drought grew two-percent and severe drought a half percent.
