Extreme Drought Continues to Expand Across North, Northeast Iowa

Extreme drought continues to expand in north central and northeast Iowa and now includes all of Floyd County.

According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor for Iowa, based on precipitation through 7 am Tuesday, September 12th, the majority of northeast Iowa remains rated in the D3/extreme drought category. Floyd, Mitchell, Cerro Gordo, and Worth counties are now all in extreme drought, joining Chickasaw, Bremer, Howard, Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, which have been blanketed in extreme drought for the past couple of weeks.

Additionally, almost all of Butler and Black Hawk counties, plus about three-quarters of Franklin and Fayette counties are also rated D3 for extreme drought. 

The Drought Monitor also shows the area of extreme drought has expanded into Hancock and Wright counties in north central Iowa, as well Grundy, Buchanan, and Clayton counties in northeast Iowa. Extreme drought has also pushed south of the area and into east central Iowa.

The National Weather Service (NWS) says sections of Mower and Freeborn counties in southern Minnesota remain in exceptional drought, the worst category of drought.