Drought severity increases across Minnesota; 10 percent of state now in extreme drought

According to the latest U.S. drought monitor for Minnesota, extreme drought more than quadrupled to cover a full 10% percent of the state in the past week. The National Weather Service said Thursday it will be nearly impossible to make up a nearly 7-inch rainfall deficit this fall.

The increased drought severity this week is largely due to the rare late August heat wave we had last week, as well as whatever rain that did fall only arriving in isolated locations.  The state would have to receive more than double its normal autumn rainfall over the entire three-month period to make up for summer’s precipitation deficit.