After spanking the region with freezing temps in early August, the balance of the harvest season should be good for area farmers. “There are a lot of reasons to believe the autumn will be drier than average and a little above average in temperature,” explained Daryl Ritchison, North Dakota state climatologist and NDAWN director. “If you survived the freeze (9/6 and 9/7), moving forward in time, things are looking pretty good.” Ritchison cites three factors: a La Nina developing in the Pacific Ocean, the Pacific decadal oscillation is strongly negative and the Indian Ocean dipole is in its negative phase. South Dakota State Climatologist Laura Edwards said a drier-than-average September and early October is needed in northeast South Dakota, where it has been extremely wet. “Some areas had the record wettest August,” said Edwards. “Britton in the far northeast had 11.29 inches (of rain) in August, their all-time wettest month dating back to 1881.” Crops are maturing rapidly in southeastern South Dakota, while dry conditions are a concern for winter wheat seedings in south-central South Dakota. Watch the entire RRFN forum online.
