Continued Record Dry Spell: Our record dry spell continues on a statewide basis. The average total precipitation across the state since August 31st is just 0.55 inches, about 3.25 inches below normal. So far this month only a few showers have occurred over northern Minnesota on October 5-6. Observers in Carlton, St Louis, Koochiching, Cook, Lake, Beltrami, Lake of the Woods, Roseau, and Cass Counties reported some measurable amounts of rainfall, but mainly less than a tenth of an inch. The impact of the dry spell has been exacerbated by temperatures that have averaged 5°Fto 8°F above normal. This combination has produced unusually high evapotranspiration (loss of water vapor from the landscape and area lakes), so consequently Minnesota is showing signs of the dryness in terms of declining lake levels, stream flow, and vegetative stress. This week’s U.S. Drought Monitor shows that 97 percent of the state is abnormally dry, 69 percent is in at least Moderate Drought, and 20 percent (
Dry Spell Continues With Frosts: After a record-setting warm and dry month of September, October has begun warm and dry as well, with zero rainfall reported across 95 percent of the state. Speaking of rainfall, September was the driest in history for several long-term climate stations in Minnesota, including: Minneota (Lyon County) with 0” Canby (Yellow Medicine County0 with a Trace Alexandria (Douglas County) with .03” Melrose (Stearns County) and Elk River (Sherburne County) with .05” MSP with .06” Park Rapids (Hubbard County), Red Wing (Goodhue County), Windom (Cottonwood County) with .10” Brainerd (Crow Wing County) with .11” Marshall (Lyon County) with .15” Jordan (Scott County) with .16” Two Harbors 7NW (Lake County) with .17” Madison (Lac Qui Parle County) and St Peter (Nicollet County) with .18” Ottertail (Otter Tail County) with .19” Overall, the statewide average rainfall was 0.55 inches for September, a record low amount. The consequence of this prolonged dry spell contin