UNDATED -- The drought conditions continued to get worse in Minnesota over the past week.

The U.S. Drought Monitor updated its information Thursday saying 58 percent of the state is now in an extreme drought, including all of Benton and Sherburne Counties and the eastern half of Stearns county.

U.S. Drought Monitor
U.S. Drought Monitor
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Last week the extreme drought status was for 50 percent of the state.

The exceptional drought status has remained the same at eight percent of the state with the driest conditions in the northwest corner of the state.

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The drought data is valid through 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, meaning the rain that moved through the state later in the day on Tuesday isn't included in this update. St. Cloud officially had 1.41 inches of rain on Tuesday morning, with most of that falling before 8:00 a.m.

With heavy rain expected for much of the state over the next few days, the drought conditions are expected to improve.

Drought conditions to the west of Minnesota including in the Dakotas.

U.S. Drought Monitor
U.S. Drought Monitor
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Drought conditions across the upper Midwest including in Iowa and Wiscson.

U.S. Drought Monitor
U.S. Drought Monitor
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