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Dry conditions are prevalent across North Dakota with the exception of a very small area in the northeast section of the state. That’s the summary of the latest issuance the United States Drought Monitor.

According to the Drought Monitor, 96.92 percent of the state is considered to be in some degree of drought classification. The majority of the state, approximately two-thirds encompassing all of western North Dakota and areas east of the Missouri river, is rated as being in moderate drought. A small area of extreme northwest North Dakota and another small portion of southwest North Dakota are listed as being in severe drought. Most of the eastern part of the state is considered abnormally dry.

“The area of severe drought in the western Dakotas was changed to long-term drought as the impacts are limited to lingering groundwater and long-term precipitation deficits,” says the Drought Monitor.

North Dakota state climatologist Adnan Akyuz recently stated that drought conditions could continue well into 2018. Much of the state, particularly in the west, endured increasingly dry drought conditions throughout 2017. Some relief came in the form of fall rains but not enough to alleviate growing concerns about ground water supply and adequate soil moisture heading into the upcoming planting season.

The recent soil moisture report from the state Agriculture Department cited a lack of both topsoil and subsoil moisture over more than half the state. Snowfall this winter has been well below average throughout North Dakota. Snowpack is usually relied upon to improve soil moisture conditions and replenish sloughs and stockdams. Based on current conditions, snowmelt runoff at virtually all locations in North Dakota is expected to be very low and have only a minimal effect on drought conditions.