The South Dakota Drought Task Force held its first meeting yesterday in Pierre and received an update on the drought from State Climatologist Dennis Todey.  He says the 2012 drought is quickly reaching the severity seen in 1998 for the entire corn belt and is mirroring 2006 in South Dakota.



Todey says the below normal precipitation this summer even put portions of southeastern South Dakota in the record books. 



He says the ridge that has been set up over the corn belt bringing the record heat and dryness doesn’t look like it will break down anytime soon.  So Todey says drought relief will be limited.



He says the only area of the corn belt that is not in some level of drought is Minnesota.