The U.S. Drought Monitor is updated on Thursdays and Minnesota’s drought continues to expand across the state. This week’s update shows a continued spread of the “Extreme Drought” category, which was first identified in the last weekly Drought Monitor of June.

Since then, it has continued to grow through the north central portion of the state, now as close to Wright County as the western half of Stearns County.

As for Wright County, its status remains unchanged from last week, as the demarcation line bisects the county – with the north half in the “Severe Drought” category and the south half in the “Moderate Drought” designation.

With temperatures expected in the 90s well into next week and little in the way of relief from rain anticipated, the concern in Minnesota is growing that the extreme drought that is impacting the western United States will continue its easterly expansion. 

To see the current Drought Monitor map for Minnesota, click here: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?MN. To see the national map, click here: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/