PIERRE, (KCCR) — Heavy rain late last week has made a positive impact on reducing drought conditions across South Dakota. Heavy rains last Thursday along the Haakon/Stanley County border has returned that area to no drought. However heavy rain from the same system did not remove abnormally dry conditions from Jones and southwest Stanley County. No drought areas grew by 14-percent this week in Haakon County and 35-percent in Stanley County. Lyman County also saw improvement this week. Abnormally dry areas were reduced by 59-percent. The abnormally dry areas are in the southeast boot heel and northwest corner. Hughes County is now 67-percent drought free, up from 50-percent last week. Abnormally dry areas are located in the southeast part of the county. Hyde and Buffalo Counties both went from 100-percent abnormally dry last week to 100-percent drought free this week. Drought conditions also improves in Mellette and Brule Counties.
