What little rain that fell overnight Wednesday into Wednesday morning, did little to help the crops and soil they live in. The latest edition of the Iowa Drought Monitor released today (Thursday, shows parts of Cass, Adair, Audubon, Dallas and Guthrie Counties, are in a Severe Drought. Other area counties affected by the severe drought include Boone, Carroll, and Greene, along with the northwest corner of Madison County. Other area counties are in a “Moderate Drought,” which is characterized by: Soybeans aborting pods; Struggling corn test weights; Grasses are brown & more grass fires occur; The possible issuance of bans; and pond levels decline.

Officials say a continued severe drought could potentially result in: extremely low corn yields; A high fire danger; fewer mosquitoes observed; low surface water, increased algae blooms, and a requested voluntary effort at water conservation.

For more information: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?IA