Minnesota Climatology Working Group

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Drought Conditions (updated June 18, 2013)

Overview

To monitor changes, see U.S. Drought Monitor Map from last week.

The U. S. Drought Monitor, released on June 13 places a small portion of southwest Minnesota in the Severe Drought category (map at right). Only one percent of Minnesota's landscape is now in Severe Drought, a substantial improvement over early April when 67 percent of Minnesota was experiencing Extreme Drought or Severe Drought. The maximum geographic extent of the recent drought was from late autumn 2012 through mid-winter when 83 percent of the state was rated in the Extreme Drought or Severe Drought categories.

Subsoil moisture across seven percent of Minnesota's landscape is said to be Short or Very Short. Only two percent of recent reports indicate Short topsoil moisture.

Minnesota's drought situation is the result of abnormally dry weather beginning in Autumn 2011. In some communities, the long-term dry spell was interrupted by wet weather in Spring 2012, only to have Summer and Fall 2012 precipitation shortfalls and heat downgrade the situation yet again.

Season-to-Date Precipitation

Year-to-Date Precipitation

Latest Precipitation Data:

Sector Information Resources:

Additional Drought Information:

Last modified: June 18, 2013