Looking at the drought monitor

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - The latest drought monitor, which was on Nov. 7, has only 22.21% of the state with no drought conditions. That means there is 77.79% of the state under some level of drought. There is almost 19.38% of the state in a level three drought. That is the area in red in the western portion of the state.

We can compare that to a week before on Oct. 29. The area of no drought has improved in that week. The drought monitor has gotten worse in the level three area. This puts 17.12% in the level three area, in red.

To relieve this drought, some areas need significant rainfall. For example, the Dickinson area needs 5.5 inches of moisture to cancel the drought in a month. The Williston area needs just over five inches of moisture.

To put that into perspective, Dickinson would need the normal rainfall for the months of November through April. Five inches of moisture in only a couple of systems is unlikely in the fall and winter months, but it has happened in the spring and summer.

We could even compare the most recent drought monitor to the monitor from a year ago. Last year at this time, there was 65.42% of the state with no drought conditions. The area of drought was in the northeast with almost 6.78% in a level two drought, in orange.

We do have some relief on the way. We have a couple of chances for rain in the forecast in the next week.

There are good chances to see above-normal precipitation between Nov. 18 and 28. Normal moisture in that span is 0.10 to 0.17 of an inch.