South Dakota, 2026

Drought in South Dakota, February 24 to 28, 2026

February 24 to 28, 2026 · NWS FSD · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

February was abnormally warm and dry with temperatures 9 to 12 degrees above normal and precipitation less than 25 percent or normal. Severe D2 drought was introduced in late February for areas along the Missouri River with the largest multi-month precipitation deficits.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
None recorded
Events
4

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.

February was abnormally warm and dry with temperatures 9 to 12 degrees above normal and precipitation less than 25 percent or normal. Severe D2 drought was introduced in late February for areas along the Missouri River with the largest multi-month precipitation deficits.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 23, 10:44 PM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 23, 10:44 PM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Charles Mix

When
February 24, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 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 was introduced into southern portions of Charles Mix County.

Drought, Bon Homme

When
February 24, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 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 was introduced into southern portions of Bon Homme County.

Drought, Yankton

When
February 24, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 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)

Severe (D2) drought was introduced into southern portions of Yankton County.

Drought, Clay

When
February 24, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 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)

Severe (D2) drought was introduced into southern portions of Clay County.

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 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, February 2026

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: 1321412, 1321413, 1321414, 1321415.