May rains bring good news: Drought eases
New data released Thursday show most of Minnesota is recovering from drought, thanks to wet weather in the first week of May.
Much of the state has moved to an abnormally dry designation on the U.S. Drought Monitor, and away from being in the moderate to severely dry category.
Greg Spoden, a climatologist with the state Department of Natural Resources, says the new report is good news.
"Our agricultural and horticultural interests are now well-served, we have a full soil moisture profile, our surface water systems are on the way up, we've got a nice weekend coming up for Mother's Day and the fishing opener. I think all is well in the weather world."
Spoden said the fact that crops aren't yet using much water also played a role in the brighter drought report.
The rain "improved the soil moisture supplies. Stream flows are way up. Lake and wetland levels are coming up. And probably the only sustaining drought impact, at least in southern Minnesota, is the somewhat low water levels on our larger lakes," he said.
About 10 percent of the state is still moderately, to severely dry, compared to 60 percent last week.
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