PIERRE, (KCCR) — There has been a lack of significant moisture the last few months across South Dakota. There has also been fairly mild winter temperatures. The U-S Drought Monitor for South Dakota has remained largely unchanged until recently. This week an area of D-One moderate drought has been established across parts of south central South Dakota extending from south of the White River to west of the Missouri River. Tripp County saw the greatest increase in drought coverage going from zero to 86-percent moderate drought. Mellette County now at 28-percent moderate drought in the eastern one-third of the county. Moderate drought in Lyman County is at just under 20-percent along the White River and in the southeast boot heel portion of the county. The addition of moderate drought to south central South Dakota brings the statewide percentage of moderate drought to 11-percent from seven-percent the week before. As a whole, South Dakota is still 58-percent drought free with 45-percent of the state listed as abnormally dry.
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