Drought Information Statement for 
NE Minnesota & NW Wisconsin 
Valid January 16, 2025
Issued By: NWS Duluth, MN
Contact Information: 
Next Update: Friday, February 14, 2025
Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements.
Please visit https://www.weather.gov/DLH/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. 
Please visit https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/ for regional drought status updates.
Severe Drought remains unchanged in north-central Minnesota. 

U.S. Drought Monitor


Drought intensity and Extent
D2 (Severe Drought): Western Iron Range and Leech Lake area.

D1 (Moderate Drought): Nearly all of the rest of the Northland.

D0: (Abnormally Dry): Along the International Border, in the St. Croix River Valley, and Cook County. 

Recent Change in Drought Intensity
One Week Drought Monitor Class Change. 

Drought Worsened: Not Applicable.
 
No Change: All of the Northland.

Drought Improved: Not Applicable. 


Precipitation
Precipitation (sum of liquid and melted frozen) that was observed in the Northland over the last month

Regional precipitation in the past month ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 inches below normal in central to northeast Minnesota and parts of the South Shore to slightly above average in east-central MN and the St. Croix River Valley.


Temperature
Temperatures that were observed in the Northland over the last month

Temperatures on average have been above normal over the past month, though there have been several stretches of below-average temperatures during the past month.


Summary of Impacts

Hydrologic Impacts 
Streamflows are running below to near normal for northeast Minnesota and near normal for northwest Wisconsin (USGS Streamflow). With ice cover, many gauges are affected by ice this time of year.  

Agricultural Impacts
Pockets of well-below normal soil moisture in northeast Minnesota, but the vast majority of the region is only below normal to normal soil moisture (Soil Moisture)

Fire Hazard Impacts
Fire danger is Low for north-central and northeast Minnesota (MN Fire Danger). Fire danger is also Low for northwest Wisconsin (WI Fire Danger).

Other Impacts
Unknown at this time.

Mitigation Actions
Burn Restrictions - No burn restrictions. 


Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts
Northeast Minnesota - Streams are running much-below to below normal in far northern Minnesota, but a few flowing at normal rates.

Northwest Wisconsin - Streams are running around normal in northwest Wisconsin


Agricultural Impacts
Pockets of well-below normal soil moisture in northeast Minnesota, but the vast majority of the region is only below to normal soil moisture

Fire Hazard Impacts
Significant Wildland Fire Potential conditions are normal for January.


Rapid Onset Drought Outlook
No rapid onset drought expected. 


Long-Range Outlooks
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Longer-term forecasts show a slight chance of below normal temperatures for the month of February.
Longer-term forecasts show a slight chance for above normal precipitation for the month of February.

Drought Outlook
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Drought is expected to improve and/or end across much of the Northland into the Spring.