Area Rainfall Totals: South-Central North Dakota Gets The Most

The Bismarck Bubble opened up for the first time in a long time on Friday, October 18th. 

A steady light rain greeted the Bismarck Mandan area for both the commute in and the ride home on Friday. Rains were generally light in the Capital City, dropping a little more than a quarter inch of rain.

Some areas southwest of Mandan, and northeast of Bismarck did a little better for rainfall totals. It was a much-needed rain to help with the ongoing dry conditions and wildfire concerns.

We certainly could have used more precipitation, but as dry as it has been, I think we will take anything, including snow. Unfortunately, western North Dakota, where the brunt of the wildfires have been saw sprinkles to less than 5 hundredths of an inch of rain.

Unfortunately, the long-range forecast, which was showing several rain chances for North Dakota the last couple weeks of October is not showing much now.

We might have to wait until November for any significant precipitation to come our way. Even an early season October snowfall looks unlikely at this point. Like, I said earlier, I think we would even take snow at this point for how dry it is.

Here's a look at the latest drought monitor map for North Dakota from the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Extreme western North Dakota is now in an Extreme Drought to a Severe Drought, while much of the western and southern parts of the state are in a "Moderate Drought" to Abnormally Dry.

So, who received the most rain from our most recent round of showers in the Bismarck Mandan area?

Area Rainfall Totals Across North Dakota from weather.us radar estimates (Friday, October 18th-2024)

Bismarck National Weather Service office received .21 inches of rain.

Lincoln received .25 inches of rain.

Menoken received .40 inches of rain.

Wing received .70 inches of rain.

Wilton received .43 inches of rain.

Sterling received .43 inches of rain.

Driscoll received .42 inches of rain.

Steele received .48 inches of rain.

Tappen received .47 inches of rain.

Robinson received .64 inches of rain.

Mandan's received .18 inches of rain.

Raleigh received .81 inches of rain. (High Total For the State)

Carson received .55 inches of rain.