Iowa sees drought relief as heavy January snowfall brings much-needed moisture

The near-record snowfall Iowans saw in January has improved drought conditions across the state, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says.

The snow amounted to 27.2 inches in Des Moines, the second-most on record for a January, according to the National Weather Service, and was heavy across much of the rest of the state. The DNR's latest Water Summary Update, released Thursday said that statewide, the precipitation averaged the equivalent of about 2 inches of rain, more than twice the normal total.

October and December also had above-normal precipitation, the DNR said in a news release. The improved precipitation followed below-average rainfall from March to September.

Previously: Des Moines Water Works sees record demand, warns of possible water shortage this year

"January’s double normal moisture has really helped to improve drought conditions across most of Iowa,” Tim Hall, the DNR’s hydrology resources coordinator, said in the release. “The wet October, December, and now January is a very encouraging trend."

The snow and sub-zero temperatures that accompanied it were quickly followed by a warm-up. Hall said the lack of deeply frozen soil has helped the snowmelt soak into the ground, "and as a result, we have seen almost no flooding conditions. We are heading in the right direction to improve conditions as we move into spring.”

Previously: At 188 weeks, Iowa's drought is the longest since the 1950s, state climatologist says

The Water Summary Update shows moisture conditions in northwest and much of central Iowa, including Polk, Dallas and Story counties, is normal, while the rest of the state remains under a drought watch. For all but far northwest Iowa, that's an improvement from previous readings, it says.

"Continued above normal precipitation should result in further improvement to conditions as the state transitions from winter to spring," it says.

It also notes that the U.S. Drought Monitor, released weekly on Thursdays by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, also has shown marked improvement recently.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: January snowfall helps alleviate Iowa's drought