NORTH DAKOTA DROUGTT 1987-88

Drought is defined as a period of below average precipitation which causes serious hydrologic imbalance (crop damage, water supply shortage, etc.). For the Great Plains, precipitation is often erratic and periods of two weeks or more without rain are not uncommon. Because of this "normal" rainfall pattern, it is sometimes difficult to tell when a "normal" dry period has turned into drought. Furthermore, precipitation deficit does not always determine the severity of the drought as measured by crop response. Severity can also depend on the time of year, timing of precipitation, amount of stored* soil water, type of crop, stage of growth, and meteorological variables like temperature, humidity, and wind. Our perception of drought severity may vary considerably depending on these factors. 1988 NWS (National Weather Service) NWC (National Water Center) Library Public Domain 1931