Much of the Upper Midwest will need a very active wet pattern to make up moisture deficits ahead of the next growing season.

Iowa state climatologist Justin Glisan says some areas remain 8 to 12 inches short of normal precipitation.

“We would need a week to week, month to month of above-average precipitation to really start to see an improvement in those driest parts of Minnesota, the Dakotas, and even central Iowa.”

He tells Brownfield widespread rainfall in recent weeks has helped replenish subsoil moisture.

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