A portion of Butler County has now joined Fayette and Bremer counties rated as being in severe drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report for Iowa.
Based on precipitation through 7 am Tuesday, an eastern segment of Butler County, plus southwest corner of Fayette County and over three-quarters of Bremer County have been placed into the D2/severe drought category. Almost the northern half of Black Hawk County is also considered to be in severe drought.
Southern tiers of Floyd and Chickasaw counties and the rest of Butler County and about two-thirds of Fayette County are in the D1/moderate drought category, which has also started to push into Franklin County. The bulk of Floyd, Chickasaw and Franklin counties, plus northern third of Fayette County and all of Winneshiek, Cerro Gordo and Worth counties, are rated as abnormally dry.
Mitchell and Howard counties continue to be in the best shape, with about three-quarters of each county having no drought concerns and small sections considered abnormally dry.
According to the National Weather Service in Lacrosse, since the 2023 growing season began April 1st, Â precipitation deficits in some areas of northeast Iowa are now down 6 to 8 inches below normal.
