Area gets small amount of rainfall, but still 5 inches short since June 1

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Amy Walker and Maggie Stock, both 13, slide across a soapy water covered tarp to cool off as temperatures peaked over 100 degrees in Sioux Falls on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Argus Leader, Elisha Page)

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Wednesday’s storms dropped 0.25 to 0.33 of an inch of rain in the Mitchell area, which wasn’t much relief to a region that’s 5 inches below average since June 1.

Chris Jansen, a staff meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, said the band of storms covered the state from north to south. Mitchell received 0.32 inch, he said.

Since June 1, Mitchell has received 2.18 inches of precipitation, which is 5.18 inches below average for that period.

Other areas received varying amounts of rain Wednesday night. Geddes Mayor Dan Schulte said high winds that accompanied Wednesday’s storms knocked down two trees and scattered broken branches throughout town, but otherwise caused no injuries or serious damage. The National Weather Service received reports of gusts up to 60 mph in the Geddes area.

Schulte said Geddes received 0.40 of an inch of rain, but five miles to the north there were reports of 1 inch, and 10 miles south there were reports of a quarter-inch.

Schulte, who is also manager of the Geddes Farmers Co-op elevator, said the rain is too late to do the area’s corn much good.

“But it might help the soybeans a little bit,” he said. “We haven’t given up on those yet.”

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