• Brookings, S.D. - Drawing to the end of the climatological summer we are starting to get some perspective on the overall summer conditions and impacts. While yield losses and other agricultural conditions are being assessed, we do have some total perspective on the climatological conditions across the state, says Dennis Todey, South Dakota State Climatologist.
• "Although statewide data compilation and final rankings for the month will have to wait for the data from more stations across the state to be determined information for individual stations is complete enough to provide some indications on rankings and for the whole summer, totals are very sobering," Todey said.
• He adds that most stations in the far southeast corner of the state will set all-time records for precipitation. These stations have data for over 100 years, including the Dust Bowl.
•  The more complete rankings will be released the first week in September.
• "Any time you are comparing records with the Dust Bowl, you have some serious issues," Todey said. "While temperatures were generally just short of Dust Bowl records, precipitation records did beat many from the 1930s."
• The following stations will likely set all-time records for lack of summer precipitation (or other ranking as noted). Included are data through Aug. 29 for the current year beside the previous record setting year. The final totals/rankings would obviously change with additional precipitation, though this looks unlikely to change much before the end of the month. The following stations' data rank 2012 in the top 5 driest summers on record.
• Vermillion       1.62     3.68 (1931)
• Yankton          1.76     2.79 (1970)
• Centerville       2.30     3.56 (1931)
• Ft. Meade (Sturgis) 2.69         3.00 (2006)
• Sioux Falls      2.73     3.55 (1894)
• Marion             2.98     4.15 (1976)
• Winner                        3.09     3.35 (1970)
• Menno             3.54     4.14 (1910)
• White Lake     3.54     2.99 (1988) 3rd
• Academy         3.56     3.51 (1976) 2nd
• Mitchell           3.75     3.48 (1991) 2nd
• Clear Lake       5.74     4.56 (1973) 3rd

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