(KNSI) – St. Cloud enters extreme drought.
The latest readings from the U.S. Drought Monitor were released Thursday, showing increased dryness across the state. Extreme drought went from 19.2% to 26% of Minnesota over the past week. The stretch runs from the headwaters of the Mississippi River all the way to the Iowa border.
Exceptional drought, the worst possible category, expanded from 1.40% to 2.82%. Most of the change was in the very southeast portion of the state.
Some of the most significant developments were seen locally. Benton County is entirely in the extreme, or D3, category. Last week, less than a fifth of it was affected. Sherburne County went from having no extreme drought to being affected 100 percent. Nearly a third of Stearns County, including the St. Cloud metro area, is in extreme drought. Roughly the western half is in moderate drought and the middle portion is in severe drought.
Thunderstorms are possible Saturday and Sunday, which would bring much needed rainfall to the area.
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