BISMARCK-Exceptional drought eased in North Dakota this past week though areas of abnormal dryness remain, according to data released Thursday, Aug. 24, by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Exceptional drought decreased from 5.10 percent of the state to .39 percent. Areas of extreme drought, severe drought and moderate drought also saw significant reductions. However, 99.59 percent of the state is still categorized as at least abnormally dry. The Climate Prediction Center forecasts that drought conditions will persist through Nov. 30.
Only the western portion of Divide County was categorized by the U.S. Drought Monitor as in exceptional drought. However, conditions in Montana have deteriorated and expanded significantly westward.
Reaction to dealing with the results of the drought continue statewide. Sen. John Hoeven will be holding a drought roundtable with agriculture producers, commodity groups and state officials at 1 p.m. Friday at North Dakota Farmers Union in Jamestown.
On Saturday, Farm Rescue and Beyer Towing of Fergus Falls, Minn., have organized a convoy of 14 semis to haul hay for 11 of Farm Rescue's cases in North Dakota. The convoy will leave Rothsay, Minn., at 7 a.m. and travel on Interstate 94, passing through West Fargo at about 8 a.m., Jamestown at 9:30 a.m. and stop for lunch at Bismarck Canvas Co. in Menoken around 11 a.m.
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The U.S. Drought Monitor also reports that many ranchers have started drilling new wells as their old wells have dried up.
In the Bismarck and Mandan area, rain levels have surpassed average levels for the month of August. As of Wednesday, 5.08 inches of rain was recorded to have fallen, according to the Weather Underground. The average at this time in August is 1.74 inches. Year-to-date precipitation has hit 11.63 inches, just below the average for this time of year of 13.27 inches.
The Minot region has received more than 2 1/4 inches of rain this month. That compares to less than a half inch in July. With the rainfall some dormant pastures have greened up.
Looking ahead, the 8-14 day forecast calls for above normal temperatures and a below normal chance of precipitation for nearly all of North Dakota. The three-month outlook covering September-November as issued by the Climate Prediction Center calls for an increased chance of warmer than normal temperatures for all of North Dakota during that period. Precipitation chances are listed as equal during the same time frame.
