Minnesota drought conditions mostly unchanged despite recent rains
75 percent of the state is abnormally dry
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Drought conditions remain largely entrenched across parts of central and western Minnesota, according to this week’s latest U.S. Drought Monitor report. While recent rainfall has been beneficial for many areas, it just wasn’t enough.
Little change in drought conditions despite recent rain
After several rounds of beneficial rainfall over the past week, many Minnesotans might be surprised to see this week's drought conditions report showing very little change.
While the rainfall was welcome, it wasn't enough to erase months of dryness, especially deeper in the soil. Many of the heaviest rainfall totals fell outside the areas experiencing the most significant drought, limiting any widespread improvement on this week's map.
The most notable drought continues across portions of central and north-central Minnesota, where severe drought remains in place, surrounded by areas of moderate drought. Much of the rest of the state continues to be classified as abnormally dry, while southern and southeastern Minnesota remain free of drought.
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The good news is that many locations picked up meaningful rainfall over the past week.
A broad swath of central Minnesota received 1 to 3 inches of rain, with isolated totals exceeding 3 inches. Even higher amounts fell across southern Minnesota, where several areas recorded 4 to 6-plus inches of rainfall.
Looking ahead, the weather pattern is expected to become less favorable for drought improvement. A strengthening heat dome is forecast to build over the Upper Midwest, bringing hotter temperatures and suppressing any widespread thunderstorm activity.
The combination of increasing heat, higher evaporation rates and limited rainfall could quickly dry out topsoil once again and halt any progress made from recent rains.
