Drought Making Comeback in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Drought is making a comeback in Minnesota.

Thursday's update from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows a new area of moderate drought centered on Carlton and northern Pine counties in eastern Minnesota. Farmers there have been struggling with stressed crops and dry pastures in recent weeks.

The new map also shows a persistent patch of moderate drought in northwestern Minnesota has grown significantly. It's centered on Clearwater and eastern Polk counties.

Eighty-one percent of Minnesota is now abnormally dry or worse, up from 32 percent from last week. And 10 percent of Minnesota is now in drought, up from less than 2 percent last week.

The only parts of Minnesota not rated abnormally dry are along the state's northern border and a narrow band from Minneapolis south to the Iowa border.