Extreme drought expands its reach across Minnesota
Soil moisture depleted just below the surface
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The latest drought conditions report highlights the expansion of extreme drought across Minnesota. More than 75 percent of the state is now experiencing some level of drought.
Minnesota’s drought deepens
The state’s drought is becoming harder to ignore. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor report shows 78 percent of the state in drought, with half of the state in severe drought and another 3.5 percent in extreme drought.
That’s a big jump from just last week when less than 1 percent of the state was in extreme drought. Extreme conditions have expanded into parts of both southwestern and eastern Minnesota.
Our most recent rainfall map shows parts of central, northern and extreme southern Minnesota picked up a couple inches of rain over the past seven days, but it’s not even close to enough.
The drought is also showing up just beneath the surface. Our soil moisture profile around the Twin Cities region shows very dry conditions in the shallow soil layers, with most areas around the metro holding less than 10 percent moisture within the top foot.
That’s especially concerning this time of year. Late August is when crops, lawns and other vegetation continue pulling substantial amounts of water from the soil.
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