Lincoln, Nebraska — According to the latest Drought Monitor report from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, the drought situation is starting to improve in Osceola, O’Brien, and Sioux counties. The situation remains unchanged in Lyon County.
According to the latest information from the Drought Monitor, some of the area that had been in moderate drought in the latest Drought Monitor report is now reported as only abnormally dry. Most of the four-county area was listed as “moderate drought” before, except for a little sliver of severe drought in far northwestern Lyon County; and about half of Osceola county and the northeast corner of O’Brien County was listed as “abnormally dry.”
That “abnormally dry” area has grown in the latest report to include about three quarters of Osceola County — all but the northwest corner, which remains in moderate drought. O’Brien County has also improved, with basically the northern half now only in “abnormally dry” territory. Sioux County has improved greatly, with a wide swath of “abnormally dry” cutting through the area of “moderate drought” from northeast to southwest and probably including the Boyden, Hospers, Sioux Center, Orange City, Ireton, and Hawarden areas.
Most of the rest of the state remained the same, with an area of severe drought in eastern Iowa expanding northward to the Minnesota state line.
