Lincoln, Nebraska (RI) — A new map from the US Drought Monitor shows almost half of Iowa is considered abnormally dry, while parts of three counties here in northwest Iowa are now in moderate drought.
Last week, the state climatologist said Iowa is in a snow drought, as January snowfall was about six inches below normal. While months of dry weather triggered a drought resurgence in October, conditions in January improved slightly by comparison, as drought watches and moderate drought designations in eastern Iowa were removed. Still, there’s declining soil moisture, and January is typically Iowa’s driest month of the year.
The new drought map shows some 45-percent of the state’s abnormally dry, including much of eastern and southern Iowa along with a small patch in the northwest. That’s also where parts of Lyon, Sioux, and Plymouth counties have fallen into moderate drought.
The driest areas are along the Big Sioux River on the western borders of those counties, covering almost the entire western half of Lyon County and significantly less of Sioux and Plymouth counties.
Community First Broadcasting Staff Photo
