The recent hot and dry spell has prompted the U.S. Drought Monitor to list nearly a quarter of Iowa in “severe drought.” A week ago, none of the state was in that category. State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says it’s clearly very dry across Iowa, but he disagrees with some of the U.S. Drought Monitor’s new assessment. “Right along the Nebraska border, there was actually a fairly good rain there about a week-and-a-half ago. So, I would have left out Harrison and Pottawattamie Counties (from the severe drought category). They’re still plenty dry, but certainly not as dry as the rest of that area,” Hillaker says.

In far northeast Iowa, a section of Allamakee County is labeled as being in “moderate drought.” Hillaker believes that area shouldn’t be listed in that category just yet. Overall, the U.S. Drought Monitor calls all of Iowa at least “abnormally dry,” compared with 82 percent last week. Sixty-percent of Iowa is in moderate drought and 22.4 percent is in severe drought. Hillaker says the lack of moisture and this week’s extreme heat will likely hurt the development of Iowa’s corn and soybeans.

“The worry with most of the corn and soybeans is it’s going to decrease the yield and the corn kernels themselves won’t fill very well with the lack of moisture, which is going to be worsened by the heat…same with the beans,” Hillaker says. This month is on track to enter the record books as Iowa’s 7th driest August. Last month was the state’s 9th driest July on record.

Hillaker says the two months combined have produced the 4th lowest precipitation total in 141 years of records. “The only ones lower were all a long time ago with 1947 being the most recent one. The other two were back in the 1800s,” Hillaker says. The dry spell, which started back in June, follows Iowa’s wettest ever spring. Over the months of March, April, and May, Iowa received a statewide average of nearly 17.5 inches of rain. That was over two inches above the previous record, which was set in the spring of 1892.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A growing season that began unusually wet and cold in the Midwest is finishing hot and dry, renewing worries of drought and its impact on crops. Experts say corn and soybeans may not have enough moisture in dry areas to develop to full weight, which could reduce this year’s harvest.

The weekly Drought Monitor report released Thursday shows that lack of rain has caused drought conditions to expand in parts of Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, and most of Minnesota and Wisconsin. It also shows that abnormally dry conditions have expanded in eastern Iowa and South Dakota. Rain eased drought in portions of northern Nebraska, but much of the western half of the state remain in extreme drought.

But the drought monitor showed improvement in some states, including Kansas.

The Freese-Notis (podcast) weather forecast for the KJAN listening area and weather information specifically for Atlantic….

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…HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT FRIDAY…

EARLY THIS MORNING...MOSTLY CLEAR. SOUTH WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

TODAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. HOT AND HUMID. HIGH IN THE MID 90S. SOUTH WIND NEAR 10 MPH. HIGHEST HEAT INDEX READINGS 100 TO 104 IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE UPPER 60S. SOUTH WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

FRIDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HOT AND HUMID. HIGH IN THE UPPER 90S. WEST WIND NEAR 10 MPH. HEAT INDEX READINGS 102 TO 107.

FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE UPPER 60S. NORTH WIND NEAR 5 MPH. HIGHEST HEAT INDEX READINGS AROUND 100 THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

SATURDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 90S. NORTH WIND NEAR 5 MPH. HIGHEST HEAT INDEX READINGS 100 TO 102 IN THE AFTERNOON.

SATURDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. LOW AROUND 70.

SUNDAY...PARTLY SUNNY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH IN THE UPPER 80S.

339 AM CDT THU AUG 29 2013

VERY HOT WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY. AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN PARKED ACROSS THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES THROUGH FRIDAY. AFTER SOME MORNING CLOUDS ANOTHER MAINLY SUNNY AND HOT DAY IS EXPECTED TODAY AND FRIDAY.

AREA COUNTIES: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-

…HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT FRIDAY…

HIGHS WILL VARY FROM 90 TO 95 NORTH TO 95 TO 100 SOUTH BOTH TODAY AND FRIDAY. HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL APPROACH 105 DEGREES BOTH DAYS WITH FRIDAY BEING A SLIGHTLY WARMER THAN TODAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS…STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM…STAY OUT OF THE SUN…AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES… NEIGHBORS AND PETS.

355 PM CDT WED AUG 28 2013

VERY HOT WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK WEEK..AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL REMAIN PARKED ACROSS THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES THROUGH FRIDAY. AMPLE SUNSHINE IS EXPECTED DURING THIS TIME ALONG WITH A HOT AIRMASS OVER MUCH OF IOWA.

COUNTIES: EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN-WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-JASPER-POWESHIEK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-WARREN-MARION-MAHASKA-ADAMS-UNION-CLARKE-LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE-APPANOOSE-DAVIS-

355 PM CDT WED AUG 28 2013

…HEAT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT FRIDAY…

HIGHS WILL VARY FROM 90 TO 95 NORTH TO 95 TO 100 SOUTH ON BOTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL APPROACH 105 DEGREES ON BOTH DAYS WITH FRIDAY BEING A SLIGHTLY WARMER DAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS…STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM…STAY OUT OF THE SUN…AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES… NEIGHBORS AND PETS.

The Freese-Notis forecast for the KJAN listening area, and specific weather information for Atlantic…

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…HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING…

EARLY THIS MORNING…CLEAR. SOUTHWEST WIND AROUND 5 MPH.

TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HOT. HIGH IN THE UPPER 90S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH. HIGHEST HEAT INDEX READINGS 100 TO 104 IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE LOWER 70S. SOUTH WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

THURSDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HOT AND HUMID. HIGH IN THE MID 90S. SOUTH WIND NEAR 10 MPH. HIGHEST HEAT INDEX READINGS 100 TO 105 IN THE AFTERNOON.

THURSDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE LOWER 70S. SOUTH WIND NEAR 5 MPH. HIGHEST HEAT INDEX READINGS AROUND 100 THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

FRIDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 90S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH. HEAT INDEX READINGS 102 TO 107.

FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW AROUND 70. HIGH IN THE MID 90S.

SATURDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. LOW AROUND 70.

SUNDAY…PARTLY SUNNY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH IN THE LOWER 90S.

331 PM CDT TUE AUG 27 2013 – NWS/Des Moines

…HEAT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREA COUNTIES: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR AND RINGGOLD.

HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL VARY FROM 90 TO 95 ON WEDNESDAY HOWEVER HIGHER DEWPOINTS WILL DRIVE THE HEAT INDEX VALUES TO 100 TO 105.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS…STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM…STAY OUT OF THE SUN…AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES… NEIGHBORS AND PETS.

TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN POSSIBLE…RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR EVENING. KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.

TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK…THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE IS AN EMERGENCY…CALL 9 1 1.

All 99 of Iowa’s counties are again under a heat advisory as high temperatures across the state today (Tuesday) may approach 99 degrees — and even hotter. Miles Schumacher, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, says it’ll be a steamy one. “Today may be the hottest day of the week,” Schumacher says. “Looks like we could see several areas of the state get close to record highs, right around 100, maybe just over 100, most other places at least mid-90s, with heat indices of 105 to 110.”

Many schools statewide will let classes out early again today. There were no record highs reported on Monday however Mason City set a record minimum temperature with a low of 74, breaking the record of 73 degrees from August 26th of 1955. Schumacher says a slight cool-off will arrive soon. Relief may be coming to the northeast half of the state on Wednesday and Thursday as highs may only reach the upper 80s and low 90s, though it’ll stay hot in the southwest at least until Monday or so.

Long-range forecasts call for more seasonal weather by the middle of next week, with highs back in the low to mid-80s and overnight lows in the 50s and 60s.

(Radio Iowa)