Drought Conditions Improving

Minnesota Drought MonitorIt’s rained 7 of May’s 14 days so improvements are bound to happen, thankfully. Another round of thunderstorms Friday should provide another little boost.

Even though everything is faring well so far with May’s ample amounts of rainfall, our rainfall deficits since June 15, 2008 are exceeding 12″ in parts of southeast Minnesota. Take a peek at the NWS La Crosse summary of our local drought conditions for more details.

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Posted under climate

This post was written by Randy on May 14, 2009

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Latest Drought Conditions

mn_dm4_28_09Click on the image for the latest drought conditions in the midwest, and from there you can take a look at individual states. Much of southeast Minnesota is still in a moderate drought, and a sliver of Goodhue county is in severe drought.

Conditions have improved since the last drought monitor update of last Thursday.

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Posted under climate, Farming

This post was written by Randy on April 30, 2009

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Rainfall vs. Drought

Not a bad rainfall here today…a touch more than a half-inch for some, so expectations were just barely exceeded.  Totals posted below, or click here for more.

The U.S. Drought Monitor was also updated today, and also as expected, moderate drought conditions have spread a bit more across the region, and a portion of north-central Minnesota has been downgraded (or should that be upgraded?) from moderate to severe drought.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
848 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

…RAINFALL AMOUNTS SO FAR TODAY…

LOCATION                   COUNTY               RAINFALL

NORTHEAST IOWA

ELKADER                    CLAYTON               0.63″
LANSING                    ALLAMAKEE             0.45″
JACKSON JUNCTION           WINNESHIEK            0.43″
CHARLES CITY               FLOYD                 0.40″
LITTLEPORT                 CLAYTON               0.38″
IONIA 2W                   CHICKASAW             0.38″
OELWEIN                    FAYETTE               0.35″
MCGREGOR                   CLAYTON               0.29″
OSSIAN                     WINNESHIEK            0.28″
GARBER                     CLAYTON               0.25″
MARQUETTE                  CLAYTON               0.24″
NEW HAMPTON                CHICKASAW             0.23″
WEST UNION                 FAYETTE               0.21″
ION                        ALLAMAKEE             0.19″
MONONA                     CLAYTON               0.15″
CRESCO                     HOWARD                0.09″
BLUFFTON                   WINNESHIEK            0.06″

SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA

AUSTIN – DOBBINS CREEK     MOWER                 0.56″
LAKE CITY                  WABASHA               0.55″
ROCHESTER – CASCADE CREEK  OLMSTED               0.48″
ROCHESTER – BELTLINE       OLMSTED               0.44″
AUSTIN                     MOWER                 0.44″
PILOT MOUND                FILLMORE              0.34″
ROCHESTER – SILVER CREEK   OLMSTED               0.28″
LANESBORO                  FILLMORE              0.27″
LANSING                    MOWER                 0.26″
KASSON                     DODGE                 0.25″
DOVER 2NE                  OLMSTED               0.21″
BEAVER                     WINONA                0.20″
WINONA – WINONA STATE UNIV WINONA                0.20″
WINONA AWOS                WINONA                0.20″
WHITEWATER STATE PARK      WINONA                0.19″
AUSTIN – TURTLE CREEK      MOWER                 0.19″
STEWARTVILLE               OLMSTED               0.19″
ROCHESTER – BEAR CREEK     OLMSTED               0.17″
PRESTON AWOS               FILLMORE              0.18″
ROCHESTER ASOS             OLMSTED               0.18″
AUSTIN 3S                  MOWER                 0.17″
PLAINVIEW                  WABASHA               0.12″
BROWNSVILLE                HOUSTON               0.12″
HOUSTON                    HOUSTON               0.05″
DAKOTA                     WINONA                0.02″

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Posted under KTTC, Natural Disaster, weather

This post was written by Randy on September 11, 2008

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Rain? Here? …and Ike the Turner to hit Texas

Tonight’s latest model run is reinforcing Thursday’s rainfall forecast.  The U.S. Drought Monitor will update Thursday morning, and moderate drought conditions are likely to expand across the region, so anything helps–but a good soaker would be preferred.  Models are indicating amounts under a half inch for southeast Minnesota and northeast Iowa over the course of Thursday.  Another shot of much-needed rainfall looks possible Saturday.

Ike’s path has varied from Louisiana to the southern Gulf coast, and the latest track from the NHC would put Ike awfully close to Houston with a northerly turn occuring just before landfall early Saturday morning.

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Posted under KTTC, Natural Disaster, weather

This post was written by Randy on September 10, 2008

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Moderate Drought Conditions Persist

Despite last week’s rainfall, drought conditions continue throughout much of the upper MIdwest.  Click the image for more details, or check out this local summary for further details.

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Posted under climate, KTTC, weather

This post was written by Randy on September 4, 2008

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