Drought in South Dakota, October 1 to 31, 2021

Name: Drought in South Dakota, October 1 to 31, 2021
Start: 2021-10-01T00:00
End: 2021-10-31T23:59
Location: South Dakota

October 1 to 31, 2021 · NWS FSD · 21 events in 21 counties and zones

Overall precipitation was above normal across southeast South Dakota along with above normal temperatures, which made for only small changes to lingering areas of drought.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 21 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: $1.1 million
Events: 21

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS FSD wrote it up.

Overall precipitation was above normal across southeast South Dakota along with above normal temperatures, which made for only small changes to lingering areas of drought.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

21 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Aurora

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Aurora forecast zone
Crop damage: $71,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.718, -98.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Around an inch of precipitation occurred between September 30 and October 2, which allowed extreme (D3) drought conditions to moderate to severe (D2) early in the month. Temperatures which averaged over 4 degrees above normal led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions through the end of the month. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Beadle

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Beadle forecast zone
Crop damage: $121,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 44.415, -98.278 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Precipitation was over 200 percent of normal for Huron, but temperatures were also over 4 degrees above normal, which led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Bon Homme

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Bon Homme forecast zone
Crop damage: $25,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 42.988, -97.885 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Slightly above normal precipitation and temperatures over 4 degrees above normal at Tyndall led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Brookings

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 5, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Brookings forecast zone
Crop damage: $30,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 44.370, -96.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Almost an inch of precipitation at Brookings during the first few days of October led to severe (D2) drought conditions easing to moderate (D1) drought at the start of the month. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Brule

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Brule forecast zone
Crop damage: $250,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.718, -99.081 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Around an inch of precipitation occurred between September 30 and October 2, which allowed extreme (D3) drought conditions to moderate to severe (D2) early in the month. Temperatures which averaged over 3 degrees above normal led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions through the end of the month. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Charles Mix

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Charles Mix forecast zone
Crop damage: $65,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.208, -98.588 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Around an inch of precipitation occurred between September 30 and October 2, which allowed extreme (D3) drought conditions to moderate to severe (D2) early in the month. Temperatures which averaged over 3 degrees above normal at Academy led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions through the end of the month. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Davison

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Davison forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.675, -98.146 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Slightly above normal precipitation and temperatures over 4 degrees above normal at Mitchell led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions.

Drought, Douglas

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Douglas forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.387, -98.366 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Slightly above normal precipitation and temperatures over 4 degrees above normal at Mitchell and Tyndall led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions.

Drought, Gregory

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Gregory forecast zone
Crop damage: $20,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.192, -99.186 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to two inches of precipitation occurred between September 30 and October 2, which allowed extreme (D3) drought conditions to moderate to severe (D2) early in the month. Temperatures which averaged 3 to 4 degrees above normal at Gregory and 4 miles south southwest of Pickstown led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions through the end of the month. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Hanson

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Hanson forecast zone
Crop damage: $30,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.675, -97.787 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Between 150 to 200 percent of normal precipitation and temperatures over 5 degrees above normal at Alexandria led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Hutchinson

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson forecast zone
Crop damage: $132,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.335, -97.754 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Precipitation around 150 percent of normal and temperatures over 4 degrees above normal at Menno led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Jerauld

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Jerauld forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 44.066, -98.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Precipitation of almost 4 inches above normal and temperatures over 4 degrees above normal at Wessington Springs led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions.

Drought, Kingsbury

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Kingsbury forecast zone
Crop damage: $1,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 44.370, -97.491 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Precipitation of almost 4 inches above normal and temperatures over 5 degrees above normal at De Smet led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Lake

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Lake forecast zone
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 44.022, -97.129 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Precipitation from 125 to 150 percent of normal and temperatures over 5 degrees above normal at Madison led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, McCook

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: McCook forecast zone
Crop damage: $97,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.674, -97.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Precipitation from 125 to 150 percent of normal and temperatures over 5 degrees above normal 5 miles northeast of Salem led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Miner

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Miner forecast zone
Crop damage: $59,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 44.022, -97.610 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Precipitation from 125 to 150 percent of normal and temperatures around 3 degrees above normal at Howard led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Minnehaha

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Minnehaha forecast zone
Crop damage: $120,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.674, -96.791 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Precipitation near normal and temperatures around 4 degrees above normal at Sioux Falls led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Moody

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 5, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Moody forecast zone
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 44.022, -96.671 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to two inches of precipitation at Flandreau during the first few days of October led to severe (D2) drought conditions easing to moderate (D1) drought at the start of the month. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Sanborn

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Sanborn forecast zone
Crop damage: $25,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 44.023, -98.091 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Precipitation from 125 to 150 percent of normal and temperatures around 4 degrees above normal near Forestburg led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Turner

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Turner forecast zone
Crop damage: $45,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.311, -97.149 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Precipitation from 125 to 150 percent of normal at Marion led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Yankton

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Yankton forecast zone
Crop damage: $9,000
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.009, -97.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Precipitation from 125 to 150 percent of normal and temperatures around 4 degrees above normal at Yankton led to maintenance of the severe (D2) drought conditions. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in South Dakota in 2021 Every state in 2021 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, October 2021

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 989560, 989565, 989581, 989600, 989601, 989607, 989608, 989609, 989626, 989631, 989637, 989642, 989644, 989646, 989649, 989652, 989657, 989659, 989662, 989664, 989667.