Portions of Mower, Freeborn Counties in exceptional drought, according to latest U.S. Drought Monitor Report

According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor Report, Minnesota is seeing extreme drought for the first time this year.  Luke Reese is the Executive Director of the J. C. Hormel Nature Center in Austin, and he stated to KAUS that most of Minnesota has been experiencing drought-like conditions for three years, but now impacts have reached new levels…

Reese went on to state that with the lack of moisture, Fall colors will be less vibrant than normal. But the dry conditions are having other impacts as well…

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor Map shows the central, western, northwestern and northeastern portions of Mower County, along with the western half of Freeborn County as being in an exceptional drought, and the map also shows the rest of Mower, most of Freeborn, all of Olmsted, and most of Dodge, Steele, Fillmore and Houston Counties as being in an extreme drought.  The map also is currently showing the far western edge of Freeborn County, the northern half of Houston County, and all or parts of Winona, Wabasha and Goodhue Counties as being in a severe drought, and the map also shows the far eastern portions of Wabasha and Goodhue Counties adjacent to the Mississippi River as being in a moderate drought. 

The last time extreme drought was reported in Minnesota was December 2022.