Entire North, Northeast Iowa Region Rated in Moderate Drought

For the first time in six reporting periods, there’s a change in the U.S. Drought Monitor for Iowa in north central and northeast Iowa, but not in a positive direction.

Based on precipitation through 7 am Tuesday, February 4, all of north central and northeast Iowa are now rated in the D1 category for moderate drought. That area includes all of Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Grundy, Hancock, Hardin, Kossuth, Mitchell, Winnebago and Worth counties. 

In the five previous Drought Monitor reports, all of Allamakee and Winneshiek counties, almost all of Howard County, plus sections of Chickasaw, Fayette, Mitchell, Clayton, Howard,  and Worth counties were rated in the D0 category for abnormally dry, but now all areas of those counties are in moderate drought.