Severe drought expands in Minnesota, Wisconsin

Severe drought expands in Minnesota and western Wisconsin

MINNEAPOLIS — This week’s update from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that an area of severe drought in central Minnesota has expanded eastward into Wisconsin.

More than 7 percent of Minnesota is in a severe drought as of Thursday, up from more than 4 percent a week earlier. The area of severe drought now extends across the northern Twin Cities metro area into western Wisconsin, as well as down a ribbon of land along the Mississippi River to the southeast corner of Minnesota.

The drought has also expanded in western Wisconsin. Eighteen percent of Wisconsin is now in a severe drought, up from close to 7 percent last week.

About 79 percent of Minnesota and 59 percent of Wisconsin are rated abnormally dry or worse, which hasn’t changed from last week.