Recent Rains Alleviate Exceptional Drought in Northeast Iowa, But Some Burn Bans Still in Effect

While there are no longer sections of northeast Iowa rated to be in “exceptional drought” in this week’s U.S. Drought Monitor for Iowa, the entire region is still rated in “extreme drought.”

Based on precipitation through 7 am Tuesday, September 26th, all of Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Howard, Fayette, Floyd, Mitchell and Winneshiek counties are now rated in the D3/exceptional drought category. Most of Butler and Cerro Gordo counties and two-thirds of Franklin, along with about half of Worth, Clayton, and Grundy counties are also in extreme drought.

While the area is still well-below rainfall for the year, rains the weekend  of September 22-24 were able to alleviate the exceptional drought that was in Allamakee, Howard, Chickasaw, Mitchell and Winneshiek counties. Exceptional drought is the worst drought category.

The National Weather Service in Lacrosse says from September 20 through September 26, most areas saw anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of rain. The highest rainfall totals found in northeast Iowa included almost five-and-a-half inches at Ionia and almost five-and-a-quarter inches at Waukon. 

Handful of Burn Bans Remain in Place in Northeast Iowa

There are still more than a handful of burn bans still in place in north and northeast Iowa.

As of noon Sunday (10.01), State Fire Marshal burn bans remain in effect until further notice for Bremer, Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Grundy, Hancock, Worth and Wright counties.

The burn bans state that “no person shall engage in open burning until such dangerous conditions to life or property no longer exist.”

Grills and recreational fires are exempt from the burn ban, however, fire pits must have the proper cover to prevent the spread of embers. 

Rains were sufficient enough recently for burn bans to be lifted last week in Allamakee, Butler, Black Hawk, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek counties.

 As of noon Sunday (10.01), there were 12 burn bans in effect in the state.