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Current Conditions for Minnesota

The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is updated each Thursday to show the location and intensity of drought across the country. This map shows drought conditions across Minnesota using a five-category system, from Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions to Exceptional Drought (D4). The USDM is a joint effort of the National Drought Mitigation Center, USDA, and NOAA. Learn more.

The following state-specific drought impacts were compiled by the National Drought Mitigation Center. While these impacts are not exhaustive, they can help provide a clearer picture of drought in Minnesota. 

D0 - Abnormally Dry
  • Soil moisture is low; pasture and row crops are stressed
  • Fire danger increases
  • Lake and river levels decline; water temperatures rise
41.4
of MN
(D0–D4)
D1 - Moderate Drought
  • Winter snow events are canceled
  • River and lake levels are lower than normal
15.6
of MN
(D1–D4)
D2 - Severe Drought
  • Ground is hard; seed corn is short; feed is expensive; crop yields are low
  • Fire danger is high; burn permits are required
  • River flow is very low; snowpack is significantly lower; well levels decrease
0.0
of MN
(D2–D4)
D3 - Extreme Drought
  • Corn is harvested early; emergency haying and grazing are authorized
  • Wildfires are widespread
  • Surface waters are near record lows
0.0
of MN
(D3–D4)
D4 - Exceptional Drought
  • Minnesota has experienced little or no exceptional (D4) drought, so there are no D4-level drought impacts recorded in the Drought Impact Reporter.
0.0
of MN
(D4)
D0 - Abnormally Dry
  • Soil moisture is low; pasture and row crops are stressed
  • Fire danger increases
  • Lake and river levels decline; water temperatures rise
41.4
of MN
(D0–D4)
D1 - Moderate Drought
  • Winter snow events are canceled
  • River and lake levels are lower than normal
15.6
of MN
(D1–D4)
D2 - Severe Drought
  • Ground is hard; seed corn is short; feed is expensive; crop yields are low
  • Fire danger is high; burn permits are required
  • River flow is very low; snowpack is significantly lower; well levels decrease
0.0
of MN
(D2–D4)
D3 - Extreme Drought
  • Corn is harvested early; emergency haying and grazing are authorized
  • Wildfires are widespread
  • Surface waters are near record lows
0.0
of MN
(D3–D4)
D4 - Exceptional Drought
  • Minnesota has experienced little or no exceptional (D4) drought, so there are no D4-level drought impacts recorded in the Drought Impact Reporter.
0.0
of MN
(D4)
D0 - Abnormally Dry
  • Soil moisture is low; pasture and row crops are stressed
  • Fire danger increases
  • Lake and river levels decline; water temperatures rise
60.6
of MN
(D0–D4)
D1 - Moderate Drought
  • Winter snow events are canceled
  • River and lake levels are lower than normal
31.6
of MN
(D1–D4)
D2 - Severe Drought
  • Ground is hard; seed corn is short; feed is expensive; crop yields are low
  • Fire danger is high; burn permits are required
  • River flow is very low; snowpack is significantly lower; well levels decrease
1.9
of MN
(D2–D4)
D3 - Extreme Drought
  • Corn is harvested early; emergency haying and grazing are authorized
  • Wildfires are widespread
  • Surface waters are near record lows
0.0
of MN
(D3–D4)
D4 - Exceptional Drought
  • Minnesota has experienced little or no exceptional (D4) drought, so there are no D4-level drought impacts recorded in the Drought Impact Reporter.
0.0
of MN
(D4)
499.1 Thousand
people in Minnesota are affected by drought
28
counties with USDA disaster designations
29th
wettest January was in 2023, over the past 129 years
29th
wettest year to date was in 2023, over the past 129 years

Explore Drought Conditions by City and County

Summary

View up-to-date drought conditions down to the city and county level, including temperature, and precipitation conditions, key drought indicators, outlooks, historical conditions, and water supply, agriculture, and public health maps.

View Conditions by City:
View Conditions by County:

Drought in Minnesota from 2000–Present

The U.S. Drought Monitor started in 2000. Since 2000, the longest duration of drought (D1–D4) in Minnesota lasted 146 weeks beginning on August 30, 2011, and ending on June 10, 2014. The most intense period of drought occurred the week of August 17, 2021, where D4 affected 8.07% of Minnesota land.

The U.S. Drought Monitor (2000–present) depicts the location and intensity of drought across the country. Every Thursday, authors from NOAA, USDA, and the National Drought Mitigation Center produce a new map based on their assessments of the best available data and input from local observers. The map uses five categories: Abnormally Dry (D0), showing areas that may be going into or are coming out of drought, and four levels of drought (D1–D4). Learn more.

Time Period (Years): to

Drought Resources for Minnesota

Stay Informed: Local Drought Updates

Drought Alert Emails
Get email updates when U.S. Drought Monitor conditions change for your location or a new drought outlook is released.

Regional Drought Status Updates
NIDIS & its partners issue regional updates covering drought conditions, outlooks/forecasts, and local impacts.

Midwest Drought Email List
Get regional drought status updates right to your inbox, as well as drought news, webinars, and other events for the Midwest.

North Central U.S. Climate and Drought Summary and Outlook Webinars
This webinar series, which covers the region from the Rockies to the Great Lakes, includes a summary of past and current conditions, potential and ongoing impacts across sectors (e.g., agriculture, water resources, navigation), and outlook information.

Get Involved: Submit Local Drought Impacts

Drought in your area? Tell us how drought is impacting your community by submitting a condition monitoring report. Your submissions help us better understand how drought is affecting local conditions.