I haven’t posted a drought update in a while, so here we go.
Overall, we’re continuing to see a slow improvement in drought conditions across the Northern Plains and upper Midwest, but drought has worsened a bit in Wisconsin.
It’s been a wet fall in the Northland, here’s a look at precipitation totals and their percent of normal for fall 2021 (September 1 – November 21).
International Falls, MN
Total: 7.68″
Normal: 6.28″
122% of normal
Duluth, MN
Total: 7.40″
Normal: 7.83″
95% of normal
But looking further out reveals that 2021 has been a dry year – A look at precipitation totals and their percent of normal for 2021 (January 1 – November 21).
Duluth, MN
Total: 22.95″
Normal: 29.19″
79% of normal
International Falls, MN
Total: 18.84″
Normal: 24.05″
78% of normal
Latest Drought Monitor as of November 16, 2021.
- 3% of Minnesota is in Extreme Drought, this is down from 6% last week, and down from 49% three months ago.
- 27% of Minnesota is in Severe Drought, this is down from 29% last week, and down from 88% three months ago.
- 51% of Minnesota is in Moderate Drought, this is down from 56% last week, and down from 96% three months ago.
- 71% of Minnesota is Abnormally Dry, this is down from 77% last week, and down from 98% three months ago.
- 2% of Wisconsin is in Severe Drought, this is unchanged from last week and from three months ago.
- 46% of Wisconsin is in Moderate Drought, this is up from 44% last week, and up from 18% three months ago.
- 84% of Wisconsin is Abnormally Dry, this is down from 93% last week, but up from 36% three months ago.
- 8% of North Dakota is in Extreme Drought, this is unchanged from last week, but is down from 74% three months ago.
- 41% of North Dakota is in Severe Drought, this is down from 44% last week, and down from 99% three months ago.
- 71% of North Dakota is in Moderate Drought, this is down from 76% last week, and down from 100% three months ago.
- 92% of North Dakota is Abnormally Dry, this is unchanged from last week, but is down from 100% three months ago.
- 0.53% of the Midwest is in Extreme Drought, this is down from 1% last week, and down from 9% three months ago.
- 4% of the Midwest is in Severe Drought, this is down from 5% last week, and down from 19% three months ago.
- 17% of the Midwest is in Moderate Drought, this is down from 19% last week, and down from 25% three months ago.
- 33% of the Midwest is Abnormally Dry, this is down from 36% last week, and down from 38% three months ago.
60 Day Percent of Normal Precipitation
Above normal precipitation is green, blue and purple colors.
Below normal precipitation in yellow, orange and red colors.
30 Day Percent of Normal Precipitation
Above normal precipitation in green, blue and purple colors.
Below normal precipitation in yellow, orange and red colors.
Tim