Maps show Minnesota is experiencing a moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions in 80% of state
Even with the recent rains, moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions continue to cover 80% of Minnesota.
This week's drought update did show a little improvement across western Minnesota and the metro. However, the dry conditions did expand across the Arrowhead where wildfires continue to burn.
As of May 20, pockets of moderate drought across western and north-central Minnesota still covered about 18% of the state. That's down from 22% last week.
U.S. Drought Monitor
One reason for the limited change in drought is because this week's map did not include any of the precipitation falling after 7 a.m. Tuesday.
According to Brian Fuchs, one of the climatologists who helps draft the maps, that is the arbitrary time selected to cutoff the data.
"We have to have a data cutoff time. From the beginning of the Drought Monitor process that started back in the late 90s, it's always been this Tuesday through Tuesday period," Fuchs said. "Sometimes those precipitation events that happen after the data cutoff can be confusing for users, and it is something that we try to relay and make sense of for them."
Since that data cutoff time, anywhere from one to three inches of rain fell from Fargo to the metro and into southern Wisconsin. That data will show on the next update released on May 29.
However, northern Minnesota saw significantly less. With little additional rain in the forecast over the next week, it is possible that the drought continues to expand across the Arrowhead.
NOTE: The video attached to this article originally aired on May 21, 2025.
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