Hunter
05/06/24
Spring rains have improved drought conditions throughout the state, with the northwest and southeast corner counties completely drought-free.
The US Drought Monitor categorizes soil conditions through six stages; no drought, abnormally dry, moderate drought, severe drought, extreme drought and exceptional drought. The latest data for Iowa shows a little over 30 percent of the state has no drought, compared to just about five-and-a-quarter percent three months ago. In addition, the amount of land in the state categorized as still in extreme drought has dropped from nearly 38 percent at the beginning of the year to over 18 ½ percent three months ago to just under 2 1/2 percent today.
Johnson County has varying degrees of drought, ranging from about 28 ½ percent severe in the northwest portion to about 25 ¼ percent as just abnormally dry in the southeast portion. Iowa City lands in the 46 percent majority of the county categorized as in moderate drought.
About 83 percent of Linn County is still in severe drought.