Drought Information Statement for 
SE SD, SW MN, NW IA, Far NE Neb 
Valid April 9, 2026
Issued By: WFO Sioux Falls, SD
Contact Information: w-fsd.webmaster@noaa.gov
This product will be updated as conditions warrant.  
Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements.
Please visit https://www.weather.gov/fsd/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. 
Please visit https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates for regional drought status updates.
BELOW NORMAL WATER YEAR (SINCE OCTOBER 1ST) PRECIPITATION HAS RESULTED IN EXPANDING AND DEGRADING DROUGHT CONDITIONS ENTERING THE NEW GROWING SEASON


LONG RANGE OUTLOOKS FAVOR DROUGHT CONDITIONS PERSISTING
1

U.S. Drought Monitor
Link to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor for SE South Dakota, SW Minnesota, NW Iowa, far NE Nebraska
…Widespread Moderate to Severe Drought Conditions with Localized Extreme Drought…

Drought Intensity and Extent

D3 (Extreme Drought): Extreme southeast South Dakota into portions of northeast Nebraska

D2 (Severe Drought): Much of southeast South Dakota into northeast Nebraska, northwest Iowa and far southwest Minnesota.

D1 (Moderate Drought): Most location near and south of Hwy 14 in southeast South Dakota, southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa

D0 (Abnormally Dry): Remaining areas not in more substantial drought coverage in eastern South Dakota and southern Minnesota. 

Precipitation - Water Year (Since October 1st)
Overall precipitation, including snowfall, has been below, to well below, normal through the water year (since October 1st) thus far. 

With many locations already running a precipitation deficit from late summer and fall months of last year, this has allowed for expanding and degrading drought conditions. 

Images Via: Midwest Regional Climate Center

Summary of Impacts.
Links: See/submit Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) and view the Drought Impacts Reporter
Hydrologic Impacts 
River and stream levels remain at or below normal levels coming out of winter freeze-up. A below normal runoff is forecast by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Missouri River, with water conservation measures in place for the reservoir system. 

Agricultural Impacts
Sporadic reports of dry to very dry conditions with initial assessment of field status by farmers. 

Fire Hazard Impacts
Several late winter and early spring grass fires have occurred. Burn bans have been, or remain, in effect in some locations. 

Other Impacts
There are no reported impacts at this time

Mitigation Actions
None reported 

Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts
Most waterways across the region are running at or below normal levels for this time of year. 

Groundwater well data from Renner, SD is generally comparable to April values from the past few years. 
USGS Streamflow Status Map 
valid 04/09/2026
USGS Groundwater Well near Renner, SD valid 04/09/2026
Groundwater Wells Data: Renner, SD
Near Huron, SD
USGS Streamflow Data: 
National Water Dashboard

Agricultural and Soil Moisture Impacts
SD
As of April 6th
Very Short Moisture
Short Moisture
Adequate Moisture
Moisture Surplus
Topsoil
22%
26%
44%
5%
Subsoil
26%
26%
41%
1%
IA
As of April 6th
Very Short Moisture
Short Moisture
Adequate Moisture
Moisture Surplus
Topsoil
4%
19%
63%
2%
Subsoil
8%
28%
57%
2%
MN
As of April 6th
Very Short Moisture
Short Moisture
Adequate Moisture
Moisture Surplus
Topsoil
2%
19%
59%
5%
Subsoil
4%
24%
63%
3%
USDA Crop Progress and Condition Reports
South Dakota
Minnesota
Iowa
Nebraska


Medium and Long-Range Outlooks
The latest medium range and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Temperature
Precipitation
Outlooks for the month of April generally reflect odds favoring near to above normal temperatures as well as near to above normal precipitation. This added precipitation may not be sufficient for meaningful drought improvement or removal however. 
Medium Range Outlook
With a transition from La Nina to Neutral ENSO conditions, no clear signal in temperature or precipitation trends exists in the seasonal outlooks for the remainder of spring and early summer (through June) with only a slight lean toward above normal temperatures. 
Seasonal Outlook

Drought Outlook.
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Below normal precipitation and above normal temperatures have resulted in expanding and degrading drought conditions over much of the region.

While spring typically brings beneficial precipitation, at least some form of drought is favored to persist into the start of a new growing season. 

The latest drought-related information can be found at: weather.gov/fsd/drought. Additional Drought Statements will be issued as conditions warrant. 
The drought monitor is a multi-agency effort involving NOAA’s National Weather Service and National Climatic Data Center, the USDA, state and regional center climatologists and the National Drought Mitigation Center. Information for this statement has been gathered from NWS and FAA observation sites, cooperative and volunteer observations, USDAFS, the USDA and USGS.
Acknowledgements