(Des Moines) Iowa remains drought-free despite a drier-than-normal August, according to the latest Water Summary Update from the Department of Natural Resources.
Statewide precipitation for August totaled 3.40 inches, about 0.73 inches below normal. Temperatures averaged 71 degrees, matching the 30-year climatological average. While dry conditions have returned in parts of southern Iowa, less than five percent of the state is classified as abnormally dry by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The National Weather Service’s September outlook calls for equal chances of above, below, or near-normal precipitation, with warmer temperatures possible. Officials say drought concerns could resurface in southern Iowa if rainfall is limited this fall.
For a thorough review of Iowa’s water resource trends, visit www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate.
