Spring Forecasts for South Dakota

NOAA Officials released their three-month U.S. Spring Outlook Thursday and it .looks like a mixed bag of drought, flooding and warm weather for spring.

NOAA Drought Conditions: Fifty-one percent of the continental U.S.--primarily in the central and western regions--is in moderate to exceptional drought. It's not going away any time soon but it might be reduced for part of the Upper Midwest.

We do expect some improvement in the Iowa and South Dakota portion," Laura Furgione, deputy director of NOAA's National Weather Service said.

NOAA Spring Flooding Outlook:

After a year of reprieve, the Red River of the North between eastern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota, and the Souris River in North Dakota have the potential for moderate and major flooding. Devils and Stump Lakes in northeast North Dakota have a 50 percent chance of rising approximately two feet, which would flood 20,000 acres of farmland and roadways.

In fact, the most significant flood threat in the United States may be focused in North Dakota.

NOAA Temperatures and Climate: Above-normal temperatures this spring are most likely across most of the continental U.S. With the slightly changing weather patterns, we can expect the typical South Dakota spring storms.