Extreme fire danger, blowing dust, and worsening drought conditions are creating growing concerns across the Northern Plains as strong winds and dry weather continue impacting the region. Red flag warnings stretched across much of North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota as wind gusts topped 50 miles per hour and humidity levels dropped sharply. Nutrien principal atmospheric scientist Eric Snodgrass said the dry pattern has become increasingly severe across the northern tier of the country. “The month of May has started off very, very dry across the northern tier of the United States, much of the western Corn Belt as well. And gosh, we saw just a terrible, terrible dust storm coming out of Montana on the 14th just ripping across parts of North Dakota getting into southern Canada.” Snodgrass said there is some optimism for moisture returning soon. “That’s going to open up the Gulf to some moisture transport. And I’ve got storm systems coming up in the midsection of the country. I think they do bring moisture back up to the upper Midwest and northern plains.”
