Drought conditions persisted across northeastern Minnesota during the month of August. Rainfall continued to be in short supply across much of the region with areas receiving only about 50 percent or less of normal rainfall for the month. Localized heavy rainfall during the beginning of the month in the Brainerd Lakes area led to some improvement, but with dry conditions over the remainder of the month, D3 Extreme Drought spread across the southern reaches of northeastern Minnesota by the end of the month.

Drought in SOUTHERN ITASCA, MINNESOTA
From 01-AUG-23 06:00:00 to 31-AUG-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The month began with D2 Severe Drought across the far western portions of southern Itasca County. This area expanded a bit to the east with the update on the 22nd and encompassed roughly the western third of the southern part of the county. Very dry conditions were observed through the month with less than 25 percent of normal rainfall falling. Some areas in the central part of the county received less than 5 percent of normal rainfall for the month.

Drought in NORTHERN CASS, MINNESOTA
From 01-AUG-23 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

All of northern Cass County was placed into D2 Severe Drought on the first of the month before a pocket of D1 Moderate Drought was introduced in the Leech Lake area on the 8th. Continued dry conditions over the remainder of the month saw the entire northern part of the county once again in D2 Severe Drought conditions by the 22nd with D3 Extreme Drought being added in far southern areas with the update on the 29th. Portions of the southern part of northern Cass County actually received above normal precipitation for the month while the remainder of the area received about 70 to 90 percent of normal rainfall.

Drought in SOUTHERN CASS, MINNESOTA
From 01-AUG-23 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

All of southern Cass County was in D2 Severe Drought for the majority of the month. Continued dry conditions through the month saw the expansion of D3 Extreme Drought into the entirety of the area with the update on the 29th. Portions of the northeastern part of southern Cass County actually received above normal precipitation for the month while the remainder of the area received about 70 to 90 percent of normal rainfall.

Drought in CROW WING, MINNESOTA
From 01-AUG-23 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Crow Wing County began the month in D2 Severe Drought but the central portion of the county was upgraded to D3 Extreme Drought with the update on the morning of the first. This area of D3 Extreme Drought was slowly reduced over the next two weeks and was completely gone by the 15th. The extreme southern portion of the county also improved to D1 Moderate Drought with this update as well. Continued dry conditions over the remainder of the month saw D2 Severe Drought return over the entire county by the 22nd with D3 Extreme Drought returning to the northern three-quarters of the county by the 29th. Rainfall amounts around 70 percent of normal were observed across the southern part of the county with the northern part seeing slightly above normal rainfall for the month.

Drought in SOUTHERN AITKIN, MINNESOTA
From 01-AUG-23 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Southern Aitkin County began the month in D2 Severe Drought but the west-central portion of the county was upgraded to D3 Extreme Drought with the update on the morning of the first. This area of D3 Extreme Drought was removed with the update on the 15th. Continued dry conditions over the remainder of the month saw D3 Extreme Drought returning to the northern two-thirds of the southern part of the county by the 29th. Rainfall amounts around 50 to 70 percent of normal were observed across the southern part of the county for the month.

Drought in NORTHERN AITKIN, MINNESOTA
From 01-AUG-23 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Northern Aitkin County began the month with a mixture of D1 Moderate Drought across the northern half of the northern part of the county with D2 Severe Drought across the southern half. The area of D2 Severe Drought was expanded across the northwestern quarter of the northern half of the county with the update on the morning of the first.  Continued dry conditions over the remainder of the month saw D2 Severe Drought expanding across the much of the remainder of the northern half of the county with the update on the 22nd with D3 Extreme Drought being introduced across the southern half of the northern part of the county on the 29th. Rainfall amounts around 50 to 70 percent of normal were observed across the northern part of the county for the month.

Drought in PINE, MINNESOTA
From 01-AUG-23 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Pine County began the month with D2 Severe Drought across most of the county along with a small area of D1 Moderate Drought along the St. Croix River. The area of D2 Severe Drought was expanded across the remainder of the county with the update on the morning of the first.  Some improvement was noted with the update on the 15th as D1 Moderate Drought was added across the southwestern corner of the county. Continued dry conditions over the remainder of the month saw D2 Severe Drought expanding across the entire county once again with the update on the 22nd with D3 Extreme Drought being introduced across the northern quarter the county on the 29th. Rainfall amounts around 50 to 70 percent of normal were observed across the county for the month with the greatest deficits across the northern part of the county.

Drought in KOOCHICHING, MINNESOTA
From 01-AUG-23 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

August began with a small area of D2 Severe Drought across the far southwestern corner of Koochiching County. This area expanded slightly with the update on the 22nd with no additional worsening of drought conditions over the remainder of the month. Most of the county only received around 50-70 percent of normal rainfall for the month, but areas around International Falls actually saw above normal rainfall for the month.

Drought in SOUTHERN LAKE, MINNESOTA
From 01-AUG-23 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

August began with just a small area of D2 Severe Drought across the far southwestern corner of southern Lake County. Rainfall for the month was around 50 to 70 percent of normal, but no change in the area of D2 Severe Drought was observed through the month.

Drought in SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS / CARLTON, MINNESOTA
From 01-AUG-23 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

August begin with D2 Severe Drought conditions across all of Carlton County and adjacent areas of southern St. Louis County and into the southeastern reaches of southern St. Louis as well. A small sliver if D3 Extreme Drought was added to extreme eastern Carlton County with the update on the 8th. Continued dry conditions over the remainder of the month saw the expansion of D3 Extreme Drought across all of Carlton County and extreme southeastern southern St. Louis County with the update on the 29th. Rainfall for the month was only around 25 to 50 percent of normal which led to the worsening conditions at the end of the month.

Drought in NORTHERN ITASCA, MINNESOTA
From 01-AUG-23 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The month began with D2 Severe Drought across the far western portion of northern Itasca County. This area expanded a bit to the east with the update on the 22nd and encompassed roughly the western third of the northern part of the county. Very dry conditions were observed through the month with less than 25 percent of normal rainfall falling. Some areas in the central part of the county received less than 5 percent of normal rainfall for the month.