Drought Information Statement for 
NE Minnesota & NW Wisconsin 
Valid March 20, 2025
Issued By: NWS Duluth, MN
Contact Information: 
Next Update: Friday, April 11, 2025

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, Brainerd Lakes, and Cook County. 

One Week Drought Monitor Class Change. 

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

Drought Improved: Parts of Cass, Crow Wing, Aitkin, Pine and Burnett Counties. 

Precipitation
Regional precipitation in the past month ranges from 1 inch below to 1 inch above normal for northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin.

Temperature
Temperatures on average have been 2 to 6 degrees F above normal over the past month.


Summary of Impacts

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

Agricultural Impacts
Below normal to near normal soil moisture in most of northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin (Soil Moisture).

Fire Hazard Impacts
Fire danger is Low for northeast Minnesota and Moderate in east-central Minnesota (MN Fire Danger). Fire danger is Moderate to High in northwest Wisconsin (WI Fire Danger).

Other Impacts
Unknown at this time.

Mitigation Actions
Burn Restrictions - No burn restrictions for most counties. There is a burning restriction (agency approved permits only) for Pine County in Minnesota.


Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts
Northeast Minnesota - Streams are running near normal in northeast Minnesota.

Northwest Wisconsin - Streams are running around normal to above normal in northwest Wisconsin

Agricultural Impacts
Below normal to near normal soil moisture in most of northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin.

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


Seven Day Precipitation Forecast
A weak cold front moves through the region tonight into Friday, with very light rain and snow. Little to no accumulations.
A slow-moving clipper system is forecast for Saturday night through Monday morning, and could bring around 0.4-0.8 inches of liquid equivalent precipitation to most of the region in snow or a rain/snow mix. The highest accumulations will be near Lake Superior.
South Shore snowbelt locations then see additional light snow chances Tuesday December 10th to Thursday December 12th.

Rapid Onset Drought Outlook
No rapid onset drought expected. 

Long-Range Outlooks
Longer-term forecasts show equal chances for above, below, or near normal temperatures through June.

Longer-term forecasts show equal chances for above, below, or near normal precipitation through June.

Drought Outlook
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Drought is expected to  end in north-central Wisconsin, but persist in the rest of northwest Wisconsin and northeast Minnesota through May.