(Radio Iowa/KJAN) – April wrapped up on a very dry note, Friday, and the state’s drought conditions are worsening in some areas. Here in Atlantic at the KJAN Studios, we received just .45″ rain during the month, which was nearly 3-inches below normal. State climatologist Justin Glisan says the latest drought map from the U-S Drought Monitor has a new “D-1” area of moderate drought that’s appeared in northeast Iowa. Also, the vast majority of the state is now considered abnormally dry, which Glisan says is something of a warning. “We’ve had a significant expansion of that D-O or abnormally dry category,” Glisan says. “As a reminder, that’s not drought but it is a sentinel for us to recognize that we are seeing drier-than-normal conditions, given precipitation deficits through late spring.”

The map shows the northwestern area of the state continues to be the driest. “We have that existing D-2 severe drought region there,” Glisan says. “Now, we haven’t seen any recent degradation as we have had precipitation fall, sometimes at timely levels. We’re still keeping a close eye on that northwest corner, given the longer-term precipitation deficits that we see there.” Forecasters are calling for a chance of rain early next week and turning the calendar page may bring a change in the drought conditions. “If we look at the short-term outlooks, getting into the beginning of May, we do see elevated signals for wetter-than-normal conditions,” he says, “and then if we look at the initial May outlook, again, we do see an elevated signal for wetter conditions.”

On the plus side, in recent weeks there was a large patch of D-3 — or extreme drought — covering several northwest Iowa counties, which is just below the worst category, D-4, for exceptional drought. This latest map shows no D-3 in Iowa at all.

Today: Mostly Sunny. High 87. S @ 20-35 mph.

Tonight: Fair to P/Cldy. Low 62. S @ 10-15.

Tomorrow: P/Cldy w/a chance of showers, late. High 80. S @ 10-20.

Monday: Cldy w/showers & tstrms. High 62.

Tuesday: P/cldy. High 65.

Friday’s High in Atlantic was 81. Our Low was 39. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 83 and the Low was 52. The Record High on this date was 90 in 1965. The Record Low was 24 in 1909.

Today: Partly-to Mostly Sunny. High 74. S @ 10 mph.

Tonight: P/Cldy. Low 50. S @ 5-10.

Tomorrow: Mo. Sunny. High 85. SW @ 15-30.

Sunday: P/Cldy w/showers possible late. High 80.

Monday: Mo. Cldy w/showers & thunderstorms. High 66.

Thursday’s High in Atlantic was 78. Our Low this morning, 35. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 76 and the Low was 40. The Record High on April 30th was 92 in 1926, and the Record was 19, in 1958.

Today: Partly cloudy. High near 70. NW @10-20 mph.

Tonight: Fair to P/Cldy. Low around 40. Winds light & variable.

Tomorrow: P/Cldy. High 73. S @ 10.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, windy & warmer. High 85.

Sunday: P/Cldy w/a chance of late afternoon showers. High near 80.

Wednesday’s High in Atlantic was 68. Our Low this morning, 40. We received .07″ rain yesterday. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 71 and the Low 39. The Record High on this date was 93 in 1987. The Record Low was 22 in 1958.

Today: Partly cloudy to cloudy w/scattered showers & thunderstorms. High 65. NE @ 10-15.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy w/scattered showers ending. Low 46. N @ 10.

Tomorrow: P/Cldy. High 65. NW @ 10-20.

Friday: P/Cldy. High 76.

Saturday: P/Cldy. High near 80.

Tuesday’s High in Atlantic was 85. Our Low this morning, 47. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 73 and the Low was 39. The Record High on this date was 94 in 1910. The Record Low was 26 in 1965.

Today: Partly cloudy w/isolated showers & thunderstorms late. High 80. SW-NW @ 10-20.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy w/shwrs & tstrms. Low 50. NE @ 5-10.

Tomorrow: P/Cldy to cldy w/showers & tstrms. High around 65. E @ 10-15.

Thursday: P/Cldy. High near 60.

Friday: P/Cldy. High 64.

Monday’s High in Atlantic was 89. Our Low was 55. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 81 and the Low 54. The Record High on this date was 90 in 1989. The Record Low was 23 in 1950.

(Radio Iowa) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency conducted about 73-hundred inspections of Iowa homes that were damaged by the derecho last August and concluded about 42 percent were eligible for FEMA’s individual assistance program. John Mills is a spokesman for FEMA.

“FEMA has approved nearly 3100 households and already provided more than $11 million in individual assistance grants,” he says. “That money is helping survivors with basic home repairs, temporary rental assistance. We’re helping with lodging reimbursement and other needs.” The Washington Post is reporting 19-thousand Iowans who applied last year for FEMA’s individual assistance program got notices that they were not eligible.

“Right after the derecho hit and the disaster was declared, FEMA began accepting disaster assistance applications and people asked for assistance,” Mills says. “We don’t want people to rule themselves out, so when in doubt, we encourage people to apply for assistance.” Mills says a home owner or renter is not eligible for the program if the property is covered by insurance or they’re received assistance from other government agencies or charities. In addition, the residence must also be declared uninhabitable.

A state report issued last fall indicated more than 200-thousand private insurance claims had been filed by derecho victims and insurance payouts had topped one-point-six BILLION by last November. Mills says the U.S. Small Business Administration has issued 27 million in disaster loans to businesses as well as homeowners and renters hit by the derecho. Some of those loans were to help with tree removal expenses on private property.

Today: Partly cloudy. High 82. SW @ 20-35.

Tonight: P/Cldy. Low 58. S @ 10-15.

Tomorrow: P/Cldy w/widely scattered afternoon showers/tstrms. High near 80. SW @ 15-25.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy w/showers & tstrms. High around 60.

Thursday: P/Cldy. High near 60.

Sunday’s High in Atlantic was 70. Our Low was 39. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 69 and the Low 36. The Record High on this date was 92 in 1987 & 1989. The Record Low was 15 in 1907.

Today: Partly sunny & windy. High near 65. S/SE winds at 10-20 w/gusts to near 30 this afternoon.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts to around 20 mph.
Monday: Mostly sunny & windy, with a high near 86. S wind at 15-30 mph.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy & breezy, with a low around 59. S @ 15-25 mph.
Tuesday: Partly sunny. High near 80. SW winds 10-25.
Tuesday Night: A 60% chance of showers (& possibly a thunderstorm). Low around 50. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Wednesday: A 40% chance of showers, otherwise partly sunny, with a high near 66.

Skyscan Forecast  Saturday, April 24, 2021  Dan Hicks

Today: Partly cloudy. N @ 10-20. High 60.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. E @ 5-10. Low 36.

Sunday: Partly cloudy to cloudy. A few scattered showers in the morning. SE @ 10-20. High 64.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy. SSE @ 10-15. Low 54.

Monday: Partly cloudy. Windy and warm. High 81.

Tuesday: Partly cloudy to cloudy. Scattered showers and thunderstorms. High 78.

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