(Des Moines) For the first time in more than a year, Iowa is officially drought-free. The National Drought Monitor Map shows the entire state free of drought conditions, marking the first time that has happened since August 2025.
The improvement follows a wetter-than-average October statewide. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, statewide precipitation totaled 2.88 inches during the month, which was 0.19 inches above normal. That ranks October as the 59th wettest on record.
While the additional rainfall helped improve conditions across Iowa, temperatures were also warmer than average. October tied with 1900 for the fourth-warmest October in 154 years of statewide temperature records.
The combination of above-normal precipitation and warmer-than-average temperatures made October notable in Iowa’s weather records, as the state reached a milestone: drought conditions were no longer reported anywhere in Iowa for the first time since August 2025.
