Despite the rain and snow, the extreme and severe drought conditions will linger in North Dakota. “The recent moisture events are only a bump in the road,” said Adnan Akyuz, state climatologist, North Dakota State University. “The precipitation needs to continue for longer period of time. It needs to fall in a wider area. For some locations, it is already too late. Ranchers are relying on soil moisture conditions from the previous year to germinate feed for cows and it’s not going to happen.” The dry conditions started in August 2020 and increased, with portions of the state reaching extreme drought in December 2020. “The latest U.S. Drought Monitor reflects the severity of dryness in North Dakota,” said Akyuz. “This is the largest extent North Dakota’s experienced extreme drought conditions since 2000.”
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