On Monday, Minnehaha County Emergency Management lifted the newest burn ban, which was put into place on April 15. It was the second ban of the year so far, and had been expected to be in place on an extended basis. However, recent rains and cool temperatures have allowed for a temporary relief in the dry conditions, prompting the ban to be lifted, said Maria Munkvold of the Minnehaha Emergency Management Department.
On Friday, Garretson received just under an inch of rain, and received another half an inch early Monday morning. The recent precipitation helped move the Sioux Falls area back into the "abnormally dry" area of the drought monitor, whereas earlier this year it had been considered "severe drought".
This weekend's temperatures are looking to be near perfection, with highs in the 70's and 80's and overnight temps in the 40's. Normal daytime temperatures for early May are normally in the mid to upper 60's, according to the National Weather Service.
However, May could bring further warm and dry conditions, according to The Weather Channel. Looking ahead, they predict much higher than normal temperatures and slightly drier than normal precipitation in May for the northern plains. The drought conditions, though, may not be as severe as it was this past winter.
