The drought in northeast Iowa is over.
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor for Iowa shows no areas of D1/moderate drought across the region. Still, all of Floyd, Chickasaw, Bremer, Fayette, Howard, Mitchell, and Buchanan counties are considered abnormally dry, along with most of Butler, Cerro Gordo, Franklin, Black Hawk and Worth counties. Most of Allamakee County and about one-third of Winneshiek County are clear from drought.
In fact, the latest Drought Monitor shows no sign of drought conditions anywhere in Iowa., thanks to rainfall received in March, April and May, according to State Climatologist Justin Glisan.
Glisan monitors all nine climate divisions in Iowa.
Glisan adds that soil moisture levels and stream flows in Iowa are both near or above average right now — and the initial weather outlook for June is above normal.
Still, Glisan says deep underground aquifers do need to be replenished because any water surplus picked up in 2018 and 2019 is gone. The 24-month period of 2018 and 2019 is the wettest two year stretch in the 152 years that weather data has been recorded.
