Rain Friday (03.06) Could Alleviate Some Minor Drought Concerns

A Friday (03.06) forecast that calls for showers and thunderstorms could help alleviate drought concerns creeping into the region.

For the week ending at 6 am Tuesday (03.03), the latest U.S. Drought Monitor for Iowa rated all of Winnebago County and the northern half of Hancock County in the D1 category for moderate drought. The western third of Worth County and a northwest section of Cerro Gordo County were also in the D1 category.

The rest of Worth County, about two-thirds of Cerro Gordo County, the western third of Mitchell County and a small section of northwest Floyd County were rated D0 for abnormally dry. Remaining areas of Cerro Gordo, Mitchell and Floyd counties had no drought concerns.

The southeast third of Fayette County, northern three-quarters of Clayton County, an extreme eastern segment of Black Hawk County, and all of Buchanan County were also rated as abnormally dry. Remaining areas of Fayette, Clayton and Black Hawk counties were rated as NONE for no drought concerns.

Also in the NONE category: Allamakee, Bremer, Butler, Chickasaw, Franklin, Grundy, Howard, and Winneshiek counties.

The National Weather Service puts rain chances for Friday at 80 to 90%, with rainfall amounts of one-to-five inches possible.