The image above shows the last time there was a “hint” of drought across the state. The yellow across southwestern Iowa and a small smidge of eastern Allamakee County in NE Iowa was considered abnormally dry or D0 on the drought monitor. The last time D1 or Moderate Drought occurred in the state was September 29, 2009 when 0.05% of the state was affected. You have to go back to August 21st, 2007 to find the last time Iowa had D2 or Severe Drought, when over 2.7% of the state (far NW Iowa) was afflicted with drought. Just over 5 years ago (January 24, 2006) was the last time parts of Iowa had D3 or Extreme Drought. This was occuring over the eastern counties of the state and was an extension of a much worse drought taking place in Illinois and points eastward. There is a higher catagory of Drought (D4) or Exceptional Drought, but that hasn’t occurred in Iowa at least since 2000. The liklihood is the last time a D4 drought was occurring in Iowa was in 1988-89.

Why mention this now? It has been abnormally dry recently and the latest drought monitor shows abnormally dry conditions just to the SW which has been moving NE all winter (according to the NWS Des Moines Flood Outlook Issued Wednesday). Could the state be breaking one of the longest non-dry spells in recent memory. Only time will tell.