Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Severe drought returns to Minnesota for the first time since spring

Drought continued to expand across Minnesota

drought 10-10
Latest U.S. drought conditions for Minnesota as of Oct. 8.
National Drought Mitigation Center

Minnesota’s drought continued to deepen over the past week. Severe drought now covers 20 percent of the state for the first time since spring.

Drought worsens for most of Minnesota

The drought continues to rapidly expand across Minnesota. After the incredibly wet late spring and summer, the rain stopped around Labor Day and we continue to become extremely dry.

It’s simply startling how quickly we slipped back into drought over the past few weeks.

Areas of moderate drought covered 43 percent of Minnesota a week ago. The portion of the state now in at least moderate drought covers 69 percent of Minnesota. That’s up from just 16 percent two weeks ago.

compare
Comparison of last week's drought monitor to this week's
National Drought Mitigation Center

Severe drought now covers 20 percent of the state with primarily northeastern Minnesota and a swath of southwestern Minnesota affected. Sixty-day rainfall deficits are as much as 5 inches for parts of southwestern and northeastern Minnesota.

New this week, most of the Twin Cities metro is back in moderate drought after avoiding it in the last two drought monitor reports.

60 day rain deficits
Rainfall departure from normal for the past 60 days
WeatherBELL Analytics

There still is no significant rainfall in sight, which is troubling as the second half of fall is typically not particularly wet. A vigorous clipper type system will bring some rain to northern Minnesota over the weekend but most places will see under one-half inch.

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Forecast rainfall over the upcoming weekend
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via Pivotal Weather

The overall extended forecast calls for more abnormally dry weather unfortunately overall.