It’s been a dry November for KELOLAND

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — There hasn’t been too much active weather to talk about in the weather department. While that’s great for outdoor projects and activities, it hasn’t been good for our long-standing drought.

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October was at least a near-average month in terms of moisture for much of KELOLAND. It’s a shame that this pattern couldn’t continue for November. While it is true that our winter months are typically our driest overall, this November has taken it to levels that haven’t been seen in quite a while.

By the slimmest of margins, we have been able to avoid a completely dry November in Sioux Falls with Saturday’s snow showers amounting to one-hundredth of an inch of measurable liquid. If we didn’t get that, we would’ve joined a rather exclusive club. Since records began being kept, there have been just three times where November had no measurable moisture in Sioux Falls: 1910 and 1912 registered a trace respectively, while 1914 had no moisture, liquid or frozen, to speak of.

It wasn’t much better in other parts of the region, either. Aberdeen saw just a third of its usual moisture for November and Rapid City got a quarter of their usual total. Pierre only received one tenth of their average moisture for the month, but that’s still better than Sioux Falls.

The trend doesn’t improve going into December. Any chance to see any kind of moisture will be spotty at best...so the wait continues.