Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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 shows what many of us have expected. This week’s U.S. map (above) shows the extensive western drought zone expanding across the northern tier of states. 

In the Midwest, drought conditions are growing in both aerial coverage and severity. Most of the northern half of the Midwest region is now in drought. 

And the high Plains region that includes the Dakotas shows even more drought coverage and severity. North Dakota is 100 percent in drought, and 64 percent of the state is in extreme to exceptional drought — the two most severe categories. 

Here is a list of northern states and drought percentages.

Here’s this week’s Midwest summary from the U.S. Drought Monitor:

In Minnesota, moderate drought has expanded into the southern Twin Cities and now covers most of southern and western Minnesota. Severe drought runs along the I-90 corridor in southern Minnesota. 

Scattered light showers are moving east in Minnesota through Thursday evening. Sunday brings a better chance for more widespread rainfall. But rainfall totals through Monday still favor less than an inch across most of Minnesota. The best chance for multi-inch rainfall totals favors southeast Minnesota.

Here’s the European model rainfall output through Monday:

Without widespread substantial rain it’s likely the drought will deepen next week across the Upper Midwest. There are some signs of a possible wetter pattern in the last days of June.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Localized rainfall is not enough to stave off widespread drought. 

USDA/UNL

European model (ECMWF) precipitation output

Spotty rainfall, but drought deepens in Minnesota

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