South Dakota, 2024

Drought in South Dakota, December 1 to 31, 2024

December 1 to 31, 2024 · NWS FSD · 19 events in 19 counties and zones

Precipitation was above normal west of the James River, but below normal east. However, drought impacts heading into winter remained largely unchanged.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 19 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 19

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.

Precipitation was above normal west of the James River, but below normal east. However, drought impacts heading into winter remained largely unchanged.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

19 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Aurora

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

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Beadle

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

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Bon Homme

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

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Brule

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

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Charles Mix

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

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Davison

When: December 1, 12:00 AM CST to December 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)

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Douglas

When: December 1, 12:00 AM CST to December 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)

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Gregory

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

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Hanson

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

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Hutchinson

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

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Jerauld

When: December 1, 12:00 AM CST to December 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)

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Kingsbury

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

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Lincoln

When: December 1, 12:00 AM CST to December 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.279, -96.722 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Miner

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

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Sanborn

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

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Turner

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

Severe (D2) drought persisted through December.

Drought, Clay

When: December 1, 12:00 AM CST to December 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 42.915, -96.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme (D3) drought conditions improved slightly to severe (D2) drought by mid-December.

Drought, Union

When: December 1, 12:00 AM CST to December 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Union forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 42.833, -96.656 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme (D3) drought conditions improved slightly to severe (D2) drought by mid-December.

Drought, Yankton

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

Extreme (D3) drought conditions improved slightly to severe (D2) drought by mid-December.

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

More

Every storm in South Dakota in 2024 Every state in 2024 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, December 2024

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: 1226883, 1226884, 1226885, 1226886, 1226887, 1226888, 1226889, 1226890, 1226891, 1226892, 1226893, 1226894, 1226895, 1226896, 1226897, 1226898, 1226899, 1226900, 1226901.