Drought Information Statement for Northeastern Wyoming and Western South Dakota 
Valid September 12, 2024
Issued By: National Weather Service Rapid City, SD
Contact Information:  nws.rapidcity@noaa.gov
This product will be updated October 31, 2024 or sooner if drought conditions change significantly.  
Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements.
Please visit https://www.weather.gov/unr/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. 
Please visit https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates for regional drought status updates.
Extreme (D3) Drought to Abnormally Dry (D0) Conditions extend across all of northeastern Wyoming and most of western South Dakota. 

Hot temperatures continue to exacerbate drought conditions.
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U.S. Drought Monitor
Link to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor for northeastern Wyoming and western South Dakota
Drought intensity and Extent

D4 (Exceptional Drought): None occurring.

D3 (Extreme Drought): Portions of Weston, Campbell, far western Pennington, and western Harding Counties.

D2 (Severe Drought): Portions of counties along the Wyoming/South Dakota border and South Dakota/Montana border.

D1 (Moderate Drought): 
Portions of Perkins, Butte, Meade, Pennington, Lawrence, Custer, Oglala Lakota, Jackson, Haakon, Bennett, Mellette, Todd, and Crook Counties.

D0: (Abnormally Dry): the rest of western South Dakota.

Precipitation: Last 30 Days
Below normal precipitation the past 30 day across portions of northeastern Wyoming and northwestern South Dakota.

Some pockets of above average precipitation across the western South Dakota plains, but not enough to help drought conditions.

Dry conditions across south-central South Dakota.



Summary of Impacts
Links: See/submit Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) and view the Drought Impacts Reporter
Hydrologic Impacts 
Most streams and rivers are below normal to normal for this time of the year. Additional information from the USGS may be found here. 

Agricultural Impacts
USDA Crop Progress and Condition reports:  South Dakota and Wyoming. 

Fire Hazard Impacts
Please visit Great Plains Fire Information for the latest fire restrictions. 

Other Impacts
Current 100- and 1000-hr fuels are very dry and herbaceous fuels continue to dry down and cure. Even with ample precipitation the warm-season grasses will struggle to come back.

Mitigation Actions
Gillette’s water waste ordinance continues through October 1.


Fire Hazard Impacts
The significant wildland fire potential outlook through September is above normal.











Great Plains Fire Information
Fire Information for Resource Management System
Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke Product
South Dakota Grassland Fire Danger Map


Link to Wildfire Potential Outlooks from the National Interagency Coordination Center.

Drought Outlook
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Drought conditions are expected to persist over northeastern Wyoming and western South Dakota.
Links to the latest:
Climate Prediction Center Monthly Drought Outlook 
Climate Prediction Center Seasonal Drought Outlook