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Morning Edition
Cathy Wurzer

Mark Seeley: Hot, dry summer weather isn’t letting up

A river with a low water level
The Knife River near where it flows under Highway 61 is well below normal flow Thursday, July 22, 2021 near Knife River, Minn. Drought conditions persist well into summer for much of Minnesota.
Derek Montgomery for MPR News

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Minnesota can’t seem to beat the heat. Average temperatures have run between 1 and 4 degrees warmer than normal this summer, making this June and July the third warmest in state history.

And if the heat doesn’t get you, the dryness will. After starting July with 11 percent of the state in severe drought, Minnesota is ending the month with 75 percent of the state in severe drought and 22 percent in extreme drought. There doesn’t seem to be any sign of respite on the horizon, and if Minnesota doesn’t see more rain by late autumn, it could be especially bad news for soil health.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talked about this summer’s worsening drought, frequent heat advisories, and poor air quality due to wildfire smoke with retired University of Minnesota climatologist Mark Seeley.