The U.S. Drought Monitor’s weekly update shows drought worsening and spreading across the state. The monitor’s report includes Iowa in a Midwest section badly needing rain.
Iowa State University Climatologist Elwynn Taylor says this week’s report is listing more of Iowa in a severe drought category.
“And it includes now almost all of the southern part of Iowa, and almost all of the central,” he says.
Taylor says that area of central and southeast Iowa is now showing signs of stress, such as dry cornfields and stressed trees. He expects conditions to remain dry, creating potential problems for community water supplies, as well as next year’s crop.
A tier of northern Iowa counties where some rain has fallen is a bit better off, but still abnormally dry.
