Above Normal May Rainfall Improves Drought Conditions
• May 2013 across central and northeast South Dakota along with west central Minnesota had near to below normal temperatures with above to much above normal rainfall. The monthly average temperatures for May ranged from just a few tenths of a degree below to around two degrees below normal.  The highest temperatures for the month occurred in the middle of May, ranging from 89 to 94 degrees. The coldest temperatures for May occurred early in the month, ranging from 19 to 24 degrees.
• The above normal rainfall and the diminishing drought conditions were the big story of the month. May rainfall amounts ranged from nearly 3 inches to nearly 7 inches resulting in some flooding across parts of the region. The James River near Columbia rose to above flood stage at the end of the month along with flooding occurring on the Grand River and Oak Creek in north central South Dakota.  The drought conditions disappeared from the beginning to the end of May across much of the eastern part of the region. The drought conditions across central and north central South Dakota went from severe to extreme conditions in early May to mostly moderate drought conditions by the end of May.   Also, not much for severe weather occurred across the region during May.