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(NewsDakota.com) – While the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday shows no exceptional drought and minimal extreme drought throughout North Dakota, the state climatologist warns that last month’s record-dry conditions could very well continue for the near future.

Forty six percent of the state is in severe drought conditions, with the rest of the state in moderate drought conditions — all of this coming on the heels of the driest September in the state’s history since records were first kept in 1881, according to Dr. Adnan Akyuz, state climatologist for North Dakota.

Falling under the umbrella of severe drought, as of Thursday’s monitor, are eastern Eddy, Foster and Stutsman County in addition to 10 southern and eastern counties stretching from Walsh down to Richland County. Extreme drought has been diagnosed in portions of Griggs, Steele, Traill, Grand Forks and Nelson County.

As for the forecast for the remainder of the fall and into the winter season, Akyuz said, “The forecast is not really showing any improvements or signaling any significant rainfall to diminish the intensity of the drought — perhaps it will be just enough to wet the topsoil.”

There is concern with planters and farmers that the dry conditions expected for the remainder of the fall and into the winter will make for a difficult spring.

The full drought monitor can be seen at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu.