In the last week, northwest Minnesota went from extreme to exceptional drought, stretching across nine counties. The exceptional drought starts in Polk and Norman counties and goes through Lake of Woods county. Severe and extreme drought covers the rest of northwest Minnesota. This is the driest northwest Minnesota’s been since the 1980s. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Assistant State Climatologist Pete Boulay says 1988 was dry, but 1980 was worse. “In 1980, conditions in northwest Minnesota were drier by another 1.5 inches compared to 1988,” explains Boulay. “This year, rainfall is seven inches short of normal, as a whole. The big difference between 1988 and now is 1988 was a more universal drought. This drought is more hit-or-miss.” Boulay says what happens in the next two months will set the stage for 2022. Right now, the outlook is for drier and warmer than average conditions.
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