By DJ Kayser, filling in for Douglas:
Our recent rains across southern Minnesota have been greatly beneficial — and not only because flowers are blooming. The latest drought update Thursday showed abnormally dry conditions in the southern half of Minnesota but only a sliver of moderate drought in southeastern areas. Through Thursday, 2.63 inches of liquid precipitation had fallen at MSP this month — already the 48th-wettest April on record.
We're tracking two systems that will affect us through the weekend. The first comes in a few waves Friday into early Saturday, with the second late Saturday night into early Monday. Overall, at least 1-2 inches of rain will fall across most of the state. Another inch of rain at MSP would make this the 24th-wettest April, and 2 inches would get us to 11th-wettest.
The drought has worsened in northwestern Minnesota, where some areas are an inch and a half below average. About 12% of Minnesota is in severe drought, from Brainerd north to the Red Lake area and across Kittson and Roseau counties.
