Along with most of the rest of the US, North Dakota dried out badly during the month of October.
Thursday’s US drought monitor showed 55% of the state – which produces many of the same crops as Western Canada – was impacted by some form of drought as of Tuesday. That is up 10 points from a week earlier and a 30-point increase from the beginning of October. In fact, it is the largest amount of drought in the state since early March 2023.
Abnormal dryness has risen sharply as well, impacting 78% of the state as of the end of October, versus just over half at the start of the month.
As can be seen on the map below, the most intense drought is affecting the far western portion of the state, where most of the North Dakota durum crop is grown.
The current dryness in North Dakota stands in sharp contrast to the heart of the summer, when drought was only impacting about 2-3% of the state.
North Dakota topsoil moisture was rated 62% short to very short as of Oct. 28, up from 56% a week earlier and only 20% at this time last year.
Meanwhile, the widespread and much-needed rainfall that is forecast to fall on the US southern Plains and parts of the Midwest through the weekend and into next week is not expected to offer much relief to North Dakota. Some scattered precipitation is possible, but mainly in the more eastern areas of the state and not enough to seriously dent the drought conditions.
