The latest U-S Drought Monitor shows drought conditions have improved overall in Iowa, but dry soils continue to persist in the western part of the state. State Climatologist Justin Glisan said drought conditions are still able to pop up quickly in Iowa due to lingering effects from the multi-year drought that lasted from 2020 to 2024.
Around 36 percent of the state has abnormally dry conditions–an improvement from more than 44 percent one a week ago. Twenty-four percent of the state had moderate drought–all of which is in western Iowa, with a pocket of severe drought, in parts of Monona, Woodbury, Sac, Crawford, Carroll, and Calhoun counties. Glisan says the counties that haven’t had as much rainfall are now seeing more soil moisture demand.
Just 27 percent of the state had any abnormally dry conditions three months ago, and one year ago there weren’t any.
