The latest Drought Monitor map released on Thursday, shows large portions of the state went from “abnormally dry” on last week’s map, to being in moderate or severe drought now.
Faribault, Blue Earth, Nicollet, Sibley and Le Sueur counties and the eastern part of Martin County are also in severe drought, with Waseca County in extreme drought.
A large portion of southern Minnesota, just to the west of Mankato, had been in only an abnormally dry range, but now the entire southwestern and western areas are in moderate drought with the far southwest corner in severe drought.
The latest map show drought covering 99% of the state. Some parts of northeastern Minnesota have seen decent rainfalls recently, but significant rain hasn’t hit most of the rest of the state.
Southeastern Minnesota, around Rochester, remain in “exceptional drought” as does parts of Carlton, Pine and Aitkin counties south of Duluth.