Lincoln, Nebraska — All of the four northwesternmost counties in Iowa and several surrounding us are now considered to be in moderate drought according to the latest map from the US Drought Monitor at the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
A week ago, the southern part of our area was only “abnormally dry.”
With the exception of a portion of southern Iowa, the rest of the state is at least dealing with abnormally dry conditions.
The new map from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows the patches of severe drought are growing in both western Iowa and in the northeast, now covering more than seven percent of the state. A much larger section, 49 percent, is considered in moderate drought, and that stretches across the majority of Iowa’s northern half and much of the west.
About 41 percent of the state is considered abnormally dry, while only about two-and-a-half percent has no moisture worries — at the moment at least — across a few counties in the southwest.
Forecasters say a cold front coming in will bring progressively colder temperatures over the next several days, with the first statewide frost likely for Iowa next Tuesday. There are little to no chances for rain for at least another week.
