SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — As scattered rain enters the forecast, it sure is welcome news for some of the driest areas of eastern KELOLAND. Dry weather has made headlines for much of eastern KELOLAND much of the summer, but for some areas, we are reaching new lows just as the fall season is about to begin.

We are used to seeing deficits on the 30-day rainfall map this summer. But the past 30 days have been nearly bone dry from a zone stretching from near Chamberlain to Mitchell, east through Canton into northwest Iowa. Mitchell for example has only had .03″ of rain over the past month. Overlay that information with all the heat during that time period and the ground is really in need of moisture.

The latest root zone moisture map shows the intensity of the dry weather across that zone in southeast South Dakota. In addition, parts of Minnesota and Iowa are dealing with some of the lowest percentile rankings for top soil moisture on the books for mid September.

We are expecting a pattern change next week that will hopefully offer chances of more widespread rainfall in the region.