(Des Moines) The latest U.S. Drought Monitor released on Thursday showed abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions in western and north-central Iowa; however, there is some improvement.
Brooke Hagenhoff, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Des Moines, notes Cass, Audubon, and Carroll Counties have improved from the D2 severe drought category to a D1 moderate category. “Widespread drought blanketed the state from late summer into early winter,” said Hagenhoff. “However; from late winter into early spring we’ve seen some improvement especially across southern Iowa.”
Hagenhoff says drought conditions still exist over western and north-central Iowa, with the worst drought conditions from west-central Iowa to the state’s northwest corner. Hagenhoff says the drought conditions have improved in southwest Iowa over the past several weeks due to the snowmelt. “The snowmelt must be slow in order to have an impact on the drought conditions,” said Hagenhoff. “Snow that melts too fast runs off and doesn’t soak in as much because of the frozen ground. Thankfully with the way the snow has been melting some of it soaked into the dry soil. There is still a lot running off, but the little we have seen soak in has helped the drier areas of the state.”
For example; Cass, Audubon, and Carroll Counties improved from a D2 (severe drought) to a D1 (moderate drought).
