After 4 years, Iowa is almost completely out of a drought. See 2024's improvements
First the first time in four years, more than 99% of Iowa is out of drought conditions after the state has seen a wet summer.
The drought-busting rain brought floods and tornadoes, but it also erased dry conditions from most of the state. Only a small corner of eastern Iowa is considered "abnormally dry."
How much of Iowa is still in a drought?
Only 0.8% of Iowa is considered abnormally dry or a D0 category on the U.S. Drought Monitor. This is the lowest category on the scale.
The areas of Iowa still under abnormally dry conditions include portions of Scott and Clinton counties, according to the monitor's weekly report.
How does Iowa's drought status compare to the beginning of 2024?
In the first report of the year, released on Jan. 2, the majority of Iowa was under some form of a drought with northeastern Iowa experiencing the driest conditions.
Just more than 35% of the state was under extreme drought conditions while 29.9% of the state was in a severe drought. In total, 83.4% of the state was experiencing dry conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The last nine months have been wetter than normal, which continues the trend we’ve been seeing,” said Tim Hall, the DNR’s Hydrology Resources Coordinator in a news release.
“As we continue into summer months of increased water demand, we should continue the favorable hydrologic conditions in Iowa, with soil moisture and streamflow staying near normal levels," he said.
When was the last time Iowa wasn't in a drought?
The last time the state of Iowa wasn't in a drought was May 5, 2020, according to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor. By September 2020 nearly all of the state was under some form of drought with parts of Iowa reaching the extreme drought status. From there, Iowa was constrained by drought conditions for four years.
How much rainfall has Des Moines seen this year?
Des Moines has received around 17 inches of rain in 2024. May had the most rain so far for Des Moines, getting 6 inches. The average amount of rain Des Moines typically has in May is around 4 inches.
June had 4.13 inches of rain in Des Moines, roughly an inch less than the monthly average, according to the National Weather Service. The statewide average for the month was 5.22 inches, according to the DNR. Lake Park, in northwest Iowa, had 18.46 inches of rain, while the Rathbun Dam area only had 1.96 inches.
In all of 2023, Des Moines saw nearly 25 inches of rainfall.
Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa is almost entirely out of a 4-year drought. See which 1% remains
