South Dakota, 2026

Drought in South Dakota, March 24 to 31, 2026

March 24 to 31, 2026 · NWS ABR · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Dry conditions through the winter and early spring have led to severe drought conditions (D-2) across portions of central South Dakota. 51 inches in March.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
2

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 ABR wrote it up.

Dry conditions through the winter and early spring have led to severe drought conditions (D-2) across portions of central South Dakota.

The Gann Valley COOP observer in Buffalo County recorded only 0.74 inches of moisture over the last three months: 0.13 inches in January, 0.1 inches in February and 0.51 inches in March.

In Lyman county, the Kennebec observer recorded a total of 0.62 inches for the same period, 0.23 inches in January, a trace in February and 0.39 inches in March. Additionally, average temperatures in Kennebec were significantly above normal: 4.7 degrees above in January, 12.5 degrees above in February, and 11.4 degrees above in March.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Buffalo

When
March 24, 4:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Buffalo forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
44.076, -99.205 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lyman

When
March 24, 4:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lyman forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
43.896, -99.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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, March 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: 1318945, 1318946.