DES MOINES – Dry conditions in late May resulted in degraded conditions across much of the state, according to the latest Water Summary Update.
A drought watch remains in effect for the northwest part of the state as drought persists, while the rest of Iowa’s drought regions maintain a normal designation. Most areas of the state saw conditions worsen over the month, though recent rainfall led to the elimination of the remaining severe drought pockets in the northwest. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, roughly three-quarters of the state is now classified as abnormally dry or worse, mainly concentrated across northern and eastern Iowa.
Iowa’s preliminary statewide precipitation totaled 2.78 inches for May, which is 2.06 inches below normal. A vast majority of national weather reporting stations noted precipitation deficits, with the driest conditions stretching across portions of eastern Iowa. The preliminary statewide average temperature was 60.9 degrees, 1.0 degrees above normal, with the warmest conditions felt across central and northern Iowa.
Streamflow levels across the state's river systems generally reflected typical seasonal baselines for this time of year, despite some monitors reporting below normal flow. Recent soil monitoring also indicates that moisture levels within the top and lower layers of the state's soil profile have trended downward due to the lack of recent rainfall.
According to the current U.S. Drought Monitor, roughly three-quarters of the state is experiencing abnormally dry conditions or worse, with approximately 3 percent of Iowa carrying a moderate drought designation. The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center’s outlook for June predicts a warmer month with no clear signal for precipitation statewide. For the broader seasonal outlook through August, there is no clear temperature signal for Iowa, but a chance for below-normal precipitation is possible across the northwest half of the state.
“While rainfall successfully eliminated the severe drought pockets in northwest Iowa, a drought watch remains in place for the region. Meanwhile, dry conditions expanded across northern and eastern Iowa by the end of May. The seasonal outlook through August indicates that these current dry areas will likely persist, with further drought development anticipated in the northern and eastern region,” said Jessica Reese McIntyre, DNR Environmental Specialist.
For a thorough review of Iowa’s water resource trends, visit
www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate.
The report is prepared by technical staff from Iowa DNR, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, and the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department.