Drought conditions continue to get worse in Iowa. National Weather Service meteorologist Brad Small says information from the National Drought Mitigation Center now shows 19 of Iowa’s 99 counties are at least partially in a moderate drought, while 56 counties are considered abnormally dry.

“If you go back just three months ago no part of the state was in any drought. If you go back to last week there was about 27 percent of the state. Now that’s jumped up to 44 percent,” Small says. Small says the below average rainfall across much of the state has caused the drought to worsen.

“This is the peak heating of the summer. The warmed days like this are prone to drying things up quite a bit. June is also typically our wettest month of the year and we really haven’t reached those levels at all in many parts,” Small says, “So that’s why the drought is worsening in many areas.” Small says the dry conditions have happened rather quickly and could turn around just as quickly with some rain.

“This time of year a big thunderstorm outbreak and torrential rains could certainly eliminate it in one event. The worst conditions we have are across the state right now is a D-1 drought, in the moderate category. If it gets worse than that it would take more than one event,” Small says. Some areas of the state got rainfall this weekend, but the forecast isn’t showing any extended changes in the amount of precipitation.

(Radio Iowa)