Prompts winter weather advisories as cold air moves in Friday night

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More of Minnesota has been edging into drought over the past few months. 

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows about 40-percent of Minnesota is now in drought status. And all of Minnesota is at least “abnormally dry.” 

As you can see on the map above moderate drought wraps around the western edges of Minnesota, across north-central Minnesota into Cook County. There are even a couple of pockets of severe drought in the western corners of Minnesota in Rock and Kittson Counties. 

The rest of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, is abnormally dry. 

March is off to a wet start for the first two weeks. Last week’s rains brought .50” to over 1” to many locations in southern Minnesota, with heavy snow up north. 

This week’s snowfall dumped 3 to 12 inches of heavy moisture-laden snow from the Twin Cities southward. 

Sunday brings more rain showers to northern Minnesota and possibly the Twin Cities by Sunday night. 

Forecast models crank up another soggy weather system by next Tuesday. This one is likely to bring another shot of rain to much of Minnesota, with some snow possible up north. 

Right now NOAA’s GFS model favors a slow-moving system warm enough for mostly rain across Minnesota next Tuesday into Wednesday.

Forecast models suggest another 1 to 2 inches of liquid precipitation across much of Minnesota by next Thursday. 

If that forecast verifies, it should take much of Minnesota out of abnormally dry conditions and reduce drought coverage in the next 10 days.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Wet March pattern erasing drought in Minnesota. Multiple weather systems easing dryness.

NOAA GFS precipitation output through Wednesday March 24

Wet March pattern erasing drought in Minnesota

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