Wisconsin Drought: Exceptional D4 Conditions Return for 2nd Time

Wisconsin – Parts of Wisconsin have entered exceptional drought, the most severe category used by the U.S. Drought Monitor, in a development the National Weather Service says has occurred only once before since the monitor began in 2000.

According to the National Weather Service in La Crosse, Thursday's U.S. Drought Monitor shows D4, or exceptional drought, conditions in portions of northwestern Wisconsin.

The designation represents the highest level on the Drought Monitor's five-category drought scale, which runs from D0, abnormally dry, through D4, exceptional drought.

The latest map, dated Sept. 24 using conditions through Tuesday morning, shows a concentrated area of D4 drought in northwestern Wisconsin near Lake Superior. Surrounding areas are experiencing D3 extreme drought, with severe and moderate drought extending across a broader portion of northern Wisconsin.

The National Weather Service said this is only the second time Wisconsin has experienced exceptional drought since the U.S. Drought Monitor began in January 2000.

The previous occurrence was relatively recent, lasting from Aug. 8 through Sept. 19, 2023, according to the agency.

Conditions vary considerably across Wisconsin. While the most serious drought is concentrated in the northwestern part of the state, the map shows other portions of Wisconsin ranging from abnormally dry to areas without a drought designation.

Drought classifications are based on multiple indicators and can reflect impacts to soil moisture, water supplies, agriculture and vegetation. Conditions are reassessed weekly as rainfall and other environmental data become available.