Drought prolongs fire risk

Stuck deep within a drought cycle, Custer County has experienced precipitation well below average this summer, especially in the later summer months.

Since the beginning of April, Custer has had 9.39 inches of recorded precipitation, well below the average of around 14 inches during the same time frame.

August was a particularly dry month, with only .16 inches of precipitation received, well below the average of 2.33 inches. Every month has fallen below the average, though. In April, 1.78 inches was received, compared to the 2.04 average. In May, the wettest month of the year in Custer on average, 2.80 inches of precipitation were received, with the average year seeing 3.58 inches. In June there were 2.28 inches compared to a 2.83 average, and in July the area received 2.23 inches, compared to a 2.75 average.