SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) –We’re at an important time of the year as we are entering one of the wettest months of the year. So it’s essential to get rain.

But it looks like much of eastern KELOLAND will stay dry. Yes, it IS good timing with the holiday weekend to have dry skies, but with the ongoing pattern we’ll need whatever rain we can get.

Here’s the latest drought monitor as it shows dry to moderate drought conditions for about 65% of South Dakota.

It’s worse to the south with extreme to exceptional drought covering almost 20% of eastern Nebraska.

Over the next several days, eastern KELOLAND will stay below average for precipitation. This also extends toward the Great Lakes where cool and dry high pressure will be slow to leave.

Eastern KELOLAND will have better chances for rain next week as the pattern slowly breaks, but it won’t be widespread.

As I mentioned earlier, it’s an important time of year to get moisture. Think of it this way, an inch of rain per week is close to average through June in eastern KELOLAND. The way it looks now, THAT will be hard to come by.