Drought
July 17, 2012
Drought conditions are invading the Red River Valley. Despite recent rains the general trend has been toward dry weather this summer. Since the first of July many areas have had less than 50-percent of normal rainfall. Severe drought conditions now exist in parts of Nelson…Grand Forks…Steele…Traill… Griggs…Barnes…and Cass counties. North Dakota State Climatologist Dr-Adnan Akyuz says it bears watching. The National Weather Service reports some crops are showing significant stress. Akyuz says the current pattern has a bit of a double edge sword to it. The dry soil heats up faster causing additional evaporation. The city of Grand Forks is in the moderate drought status.