PIERRE, (KCCR) — Dry conditions continue to expand across South Dakota. This week’s update of the U-S Drought Monitor for the state shows abnormally dry areas expanding by four-percent. Areas of no-drought have declined by three-percent. The expansion of dry conditions remain moving to the west and north. Buffalo, Lyman and Jones Counties are now 100-percent abnormally dry. Stanley County saw the largest downgrade with abnormally dry conditions growing by 66-percent from five-point-seven percent to 70-percent. Just shy of 30-percent of Stanley County remains in drought free status, that being along the Missouri River north of Fort Pierre. Abnormally dry areas grew by 31-percent in Haakon County. Jackson County saw abnormally dry conditions grow by 11-percent. The worst drought in the state remains along I-29 from Brookings to Sioux Falls and west along 1-90 to Salem.
