Needed Precipitation: Some of the most abundant and efficient precipitation of the year so far occurred this week bringing 0.5 to 1.5 inches to many areas of the state. A few climate stations reported new record daily rainfall amounts on either March 24 or March 25 this week, including: 0.90 inches at Hastings 0.92 inches at Albert Lea 0.99 inches at Faribault 1.30 inches at Jordan 0.86 inches at Lamberton 1.27 inches at U of M St Paul Campus 0.83 inches at Owatonna Much of the soil, already thawed out from winter was able to absorb all of the rain that occurred. Some areas of the state have seen just half of normal precipitation fall so far this year. Only about 10 percent of the climate reporting stations in Minnesota have recorded two or more inches of precipitation so far this month, while some have reported less than a quarter of an inch. The Drought Monitor continues to show all of Minnesota to be drier than normal, with portions of the north and west in moderate drought. Rain
