Drought Information Statement for Western and Central North Dakota 
Valid October 9, 2024
Issued By: WFO Bismarck, North Dakota
Contact Information: w-bis.webmaster@noaa.gov
This product will be updated in late November or sooner if drought conditions change significantly.  
See all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements.
Visit:  https://www.weather.gov/BIS/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. 
Visit:  https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/?dews_region=41 for regional drought status updates.
Abnormally Dry to Extreme drought conditions are an ongoing problem across western North Dakota.
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U.S. Drought Monitor

Drought intensity and Extent
D3 (Extreme Drought): Portions of Divide, Williams, Slope, and Bowman Counties
D2 (Severe Drought): Parts of western North Dakota, along the Montana state line
D1 (Moderate Drought): Parts of western North Dakota
D0: (Abnormally Dry): Parts of western, south central, and southeast North Dakota


Precipitation
Much lower than normal precipitation continues to afflict most of North Dakota.
The lower than normal precipitation, along with above normal temperatures, have helped cure native vegetation and crops. This drying of the countryside has left the region prone to wildfires and continued expansion of drought designations.


Summary of Impacts
Links: See/submit Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) and view the Drought Impacts Reporter
Hydrologic Impacts 
The USGS stream gages show numerous streams in western North Dakota have streamflow in the low single digit to 24th percentile. 

Agricultural Impacts
Very dry conditions have caused a number of wildfires with losses including crops, livestock, machinery, and farmsteads or outbuildings. These have been reported by state and local emergency management services.

Fire Hazard Impacts
Significant wildfires sprung up over the first full weekend of October, the largest with a roughly 88,000 acre perimeter and still not 100% contained. Source: ND Forest Service 

Other Impacts
Loss of numerous hay reserves and forage due to wildfires will cause localized hay shortages.

Mitigation Actions
Burn bans are in place for many counties. One should check with their local authorities for specifics in their area. 


Long-Range Outlooks
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
The trend of above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation has dried/cured both native vegetation and crops. 
This pattern is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, with above normal temperatures favored for the month of October.

Drought Outlook
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
The current trend of worsening and expanding drought conditions are likely to persist going forward. 
The next milestone in the region’s drought will be the onset of the snow accumulation season in late November to early December. At that point the conditions will remain largely in suspended animation until such time as conditions during the spring thaw become more predictable.