(Lewis) The latest drought monitor continues to show abnormally dry conditions in portions of west-central and southwest Iowa. The March rains pushed much of the severe dry regions into the D1 or abnormally dry category. Still, much more rainfall is needed to pull the region out of the drought, particularly in the counties of Carroll, Audubon, Guthrie, southeastern Shelby, eastern Pottawattamie, all of Cass, and eastern Adair County.
Aaron Saeugling, a southwest Iowa Extension Field Agronomist, says we’re heading into an early spring with temperatures already exceeding 80 degrees. He says despite the plentiful March rains, soil conditions remain dry. “As I go out and look and stick the probe into the ground and dig into the soil, it’s still dry,” said Saeugling. “We can look at all the maps and charts and talk to these seasoned farmers eventually; things will change. However, at least for now, we’ve moved into the mode of just in time. What I mean by that is, we’ve asked Mother Nature to bring us rain just in time. We’re going to need timely rains throughout the growing season, much like this past summer.”
Saeugling admits there is no indication in the long-term models based on the data that drought is imminent; however, the 14-day temperature outlook and the 30-to-90 temperature outlooks are above normal temperatures that often go hand-in-hand with dry weather. “There is this odd feeling in your stomach when you drive around, look at pastures, and soil conditions, that it might be a little dry.”
Saeugling says some areas need four to five inches of rain to bring the region’s dry areas back to normal.
