Snowstorm Nearly Wipes Out Drought in Central Minnesota

(KNSI) – Drought conditions improved in the final week of the year, with some of the biggest gains happening in central Minnesota.

After the round of heavy snow last weekend, Stearns County went from having two-thirds of its territory considered abnormally dry to being completely normal. Benton County also saw improvement. Heading into Christmas, 100% of the county was abnormally dry. That figure is down to 69.84%. The county’s southwest corner, including Sauk Rapids, is in the best shape.

Sherburne County made an even bigger leap than Benton. It went from 100% abnormally dry to just 19.09% as we prepare to ring in 2026. The only area still touched by drought is in the extreme northeastern corner, bordering Mille Lacs and Isanti Counties.

It’s not all good news, though. The parts of the state that needed precipitation the most got the least snow. Severe drought still exists in over 4% of Minnesota, centered around the Duluth area. Moderate drought is affecting another 26%, touching most of the Iron Range, as well as parts of the Boundary Waters, and the Lake Itasca/headwaters region.

This week’s drought map is here.

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