Extreme Drought Still Persists in Northeast Iowa

Despite more frequent-yet-somewhat scattered rainfall in recent weeks, the majority of northeast Iowa remains in the “extreme drought” category in the latest U.S. Drought Monitor for Iowa.

Based on precipitation through 7 am Tuesday, October 24th, all of Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Howard, Fayette, Floyd, and Mitchell counties are still rated in the D3/extreme drought category.

More than three-quarters of Butler, Cerro Gordo and Winneshiek counties, almost two-thirds of Franklin County, about half of Worth and Clayton counties, and a third of Grundy County are also in extreme drought.

Almost all of Allamakee County and half of Clayton County are again rated in the D2 category for severe drought.  

The National Weather Service in La Crosse says, from October 18 through October 24, some rainfall totals were up to 2.5 inches of rain in northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota. During this time period, typically a half-inch of rain falls. 

Meanwhile, river levels continue to be low. The NWS says flows ranged from near-record lows to near-normal in parts of northeast Iowa. The lowest flows are currently along the Little Cedar River near Ionia at 16% of normal, the Upper Iowa River near Dorchester at 22% of normal, and the Cedar River at Charles City at 32% of normal.