Wisconsin’s massive drought eased up a little during the last week, thanks largely to soaking rains that helped dry conditions become less severe in many places. However, according to the US Drought Monitor, 95.5 percent of the state’s land area is still abnormally dry or worse.
The best conditions are in the northeast. All of Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, and Calumet counties are no longer in a drought. The same is true for most of Brown County and small parts of Sheboygan and Outagamie counties.
The areas still facing an extreme drought have shrunk as well. They are now located roughly between Platteville and Monroe in southwest Wisconsin, and around Black River Falls.
About 75 percent of Wisconsin remains in either a moderate or severe stage of drought.