1. 2. 3. Northern Wisconsin Weather: Drought news clips. 4. 12. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 23. 24.

25. 26. Drought news clips. 27. 28.

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Yesterday's severe weather missed us, even the rain stayed to the south. The image to the left is storm total estimates from radar. The orange colors east of Minneapolis are estimated to be 3 to 4" of rain.

The map on the right shows storm reports from yesterday. Blue triangles represent severe wind reports, the green triangles represent hail reports.

The largest hail report is 2.5" hail (tennis ball size) in the northern suburbs of St. Paul at 21:45. In Wisconsin, only two hail reports are posted, both in St. Croix County & both 0.75" hail (penny size).

Numerous wind damage reports spot western and southern WI, from Burnett County to Grant and Crawford Counties. The list includes a roof missing and 1 to 2 foot trees down in St. Croix County, doors blown off a building in Pepin County, and powerlines down in Grant County... with trees down across the entire region from measured and estimated winds of 60 to 70 mph.

On a different note, I did a search of local news and found some stories of drought impacts in the region. The first clip is regarding the Bad River Band Of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians outside of Ashland, from the Daily Press.

"The fears of many Bad River tribal members have been realized: For the first time in history, there will be no harvest of wild rice this year within tribal boundaries.

The Bad River Tribal Council announced on Wednesday that, due to extremely low water levels, a one-year hiatus is in place for rice beds in the 12,000-acre Kakagon, Bad River and Bad River Slough complexes, as well on Honest John Lake and the Sand Cut Sloughs off of Oak Point."

The second is a clip from the local UW-Extension Office, also in the Ashland Daily Press speaking of the worsening conditions.

"The summer of 2007 may go down as one of the driest ever in the region and the worst-hit areas of Wisconsin are in Ashland, Bayfield Douglas and Iron counties.

'Pasture grasses have shut down and folks are short on feed,' said University of Wisconsin Extension Agriculture Agent Jason Fischbach.

Ironically, Fischbach said, the drought hit following an excellent first crop hay harvest. The same can not be said for the second crop.

'There just hasn't been enough significant rain, and the pasture grasses are just done,' he said.

Fischbach said even if it were to begin raining immediately, it would likely be a case of too little, too late."

News from the Duluth area is more of the same.

"But with no rain in sight and drought conditions the worst in nearly two decades, fire spotters have climbed back into their towers [in Northwestern Wisconsin]." -- Duluth News Tribune

Also that as of August 10th, fire restrictions are now in place:

"Starting today and until rain falls, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has banned open fires in all of Northeastern and north-central Minnesota." -- Duluth News Tribune

Today: Tuesday August 14.

It is already cooler this morning, but the early morning clouds have broken up and moved out, allowing mostly sunny skies. It looks like highs will be in the mid-70s with a NW wind up to 10mph and dewpoint will drop into the lower 50s by tonight. The barometer bottomed out at 03:00 at 29.79 "Hg and is now rising that the system is moving east.

Currently at 09:31

Temp: 74.4
Dewpoint: 64 F
Barometer: 29.86 "Hg
Winds: light from the East

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