As Nation's Drought Deepens, Minnesota Gets Drier

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- As the nation's drought deepens, Minnesota is getting drier too.

New data from the U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday shows more than half of Minnesota is now rated at least abnormally dry. Fifty-two percent of the state is now either abnormally dry or formally in drought, up five percentages points from last week, as dry conditions spread into part of central Minnesota.  Thirty-six percent of the state is in a moderate-to-extreme drought, up one point from last week.

The drought is affecting northwestern and southwestern Minnesota and extends across the southern tier of counties. Only a small part of the far southwestern corner of the state is extreme drought.

Minnesota is still in better shape than several other Midwest states that are completely in a severe to exceptional drought.

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