Northwest Iowa — The new map from the U-S Drought Monitor shows worsening conditions across Iowa.
Only five percent of the state is shown as having normal conditions, all in the southeast, while drought gained more ground practically everywhere else. Parts of eastern and far southwestern Iowa are in the abnormally dry category, but the majority of the state’s in drought.
A week ago, 56-percent of Iowa was in moderate to severe drought, now, it’s 76-percent. Severe drought covers about 40 of the state’s 99 counties, including virtually all of northern Iowa and much of the central region.
According to the National Weather Service, highs in northwest Iowa are forecast to stay in the 80s for the next six days, with one exception. Monday, a reprieve from the heat is forecast, with a high only around 70. On Thursday the mercury will rise into the lower 90s.
At this point, the weather service says it looks like we’ll have a chance for showers this Saturday night and Sunday, with a 70 percent chance on Saturday night and a 60 percent chance on Sunday.
The six-to-ten-day forecast is calling for normal temperatures and normal precipitation in northwest Iowa.
