Regional Significant Events for September - November 2025
Highlights for the Basin
North Dakota experienced a historic lateseason tornado outbreak on September 14th. A total of 20 tornadoes would touch down, falling just short of the single-day record of 24 set on June 11, 1976. Despite the high number of tornadoes reported, minor damage occurred. For the year, the state has recorded 80 tornadoes, and if verified, would be the most in a calendar year by a large margin. The majority of the basin dealt with an impactful winter storm over Thanksgiving weekend. Up to 11 inches of snow fell in the Dakotas, while freezing rain and sleet fell as far south as Kansas. Between the slick roads and low visibility from wind gusts over 40 mph, travel was significantly hampered across the eastern portions of the basin.
Regional Climate Overview for September - November 2025
Temperature and Precipitation Anomalies
Temperatures were exceptionally warm this fall throughout the entire Basin. September was scorching hot in Montana, with 18 counties ranking warmest. The heat shifted to the eastern half of the Basin in October, while November brought record warmth to Montana and Wyoming. A total of 144 counties ranked in the top three warmest falls, while 40 of those ranked as warmest. Precipitation this fall was hit or miss across the Basin. September featured record wetness in southwest Kansas and northern South Dakota. These same areas were dry in October, while parts of Wyoming recorded their overall wettest month. In November, most of Nebraska and Wyoming were below 50 percent of their normal precipitation.
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Changes in Drought Conditions
The map above shows the areas of increasing (yellow shading) and decreasing (green shading) categories of drought. Montana had both ends of the spectrum, with up to four classes of degradation in the north-central portion of the state and 4 classes of improvement in the south-central parts. The dryness this fall in eastern South Dakota and Nebraska led drought to reemerge.
Regional Impacts for September - November 2025
Agriculture
Wetter weather this fall led to harvest delays, but was optimal for those planting winter wheat in Kansas and Nebraska. While corn yields were not record-setting like expected, higher yields led to storage issues across the basin, with many forced to store excess corn in large ground piles. Over 30 percent of the top and subsoil moisture was rated short to very short in Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming at the end of the season.
Water Resources
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, runoff in the Upper Missouri Basin above Sioux City, IA is projected to be 76 percent of normal. Drought conditions in north-central Montana has led to near-record low streamflow, while Bureau of Reclamation reservoirs are slightly lower than normal levels due to summertime irrigation. Snowpack is off to a decent start in Montana and near normal, but behind schedule in Wyoming.
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MO River Basin Partners
High Plains Regional Climate Center
www.hprcc.unl.edu
National Integrated Drought Information System
https://www.drought.gov/
NOAA NCEI
www.ncdc.noaa.gov
NOAA NWS – Central Region
www.weather.gov/crh
NOAA NWS Climate Prediction Center
www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov
NOAA NWS Missouri Basin River Forecast Center
www.weather.gov/mbrfc
American Association of State Climatologists
https://www.stateclimate.org/
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
https://www.usbr.gov/
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
www.nrcs.usda.gov
USDA Northern Plains Climate Hub
www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov
Bureau of Indian Affairs – Great Plains Region
www.bia.gov/regional-offices/great-plains
National Drought Mitigation Center
http://drought.unl.edu/