(Des Moines) For the first time in 203 straight weeks, the U.S. Drought Monitor shows Iowa is drought-free.
State Climatologist Dr. Justin Glisan says northeast and east central Iowa continue to show abnormally dry conditions reflective of shorter-term dryness. He says the trend is wet, so he sees additional removal of the D0 category eventually in all parts of the state.
Glisan says that after 203 consecutive weeks of moderate drought somewhere in the state, this is the first time since June 30, 2020, that there has been no drought on the map in Iowa. Dr. Glisan says this coincides with the severe weather experienced in Iowa over the past few months, including 103 reported tornadoes this season, the most since 2011.
Glisan says as of March 30, there are nine climate divisions statewide, and seven of those are the top ten wettest to a start of a year. Southwest Iowa is in Climate Division 7, which goes on the books as the 17th wettest to start the year, going back 132 years.
Dr. Glisan says the wet start to the season comes at a cost for some farmers challenged with delayed planting, but we are banking soil moisture in case the weather pattern turns warmer and drier throughout the summer.
Thursday afternoon news 1:00 p.m.
