FARGO (KCND) - The latest U.S. Drought monitor now shows about a quarter of North Dakota is in a moderate drought.
State climatologist Adnan Akyuz says the state just went through a very wet six month period. That period ended in February.
Akyuz says plants utilized the excess moisture in the early growing season. He says the rains have stopped and the conditions are deteriorating especially with the warmer weather.
Akyuz says other parts of North Dakota are showing early signs of drought and he expects the drought conditions will expand. The Monitor shows all of North Dakota, a large area of Northwest Minnesota and parts of South Dakota are considered "abnormally dry."