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Drought conditions hit 13 Iowa counties

Rain totals have been well below average in western Iowa over the past two months.

The latest drought monitor released on Thursday introduced moderate drought conditions to portions of western Iowa.

This is the first drought of any kind in Iowa since September 2019.

The affected counties: 

  • Adair
  • Audubon
  • Boone
  • Calhoun
  • Carroll
  • Dallas
  • Greene
  • Guthrie
  • Plymouth
  • Polk
  • Sioux
  • Webster
  • Woodbury
Credit: WOI
Recent dry weather has lead to moderate drought in parts of western Iowa

This summer has been boom-or-bust as far as rain is concerned. 

While eastern Iowa has been drenched with rain, most of western Iowa is 2-to-5" below average since mid-May.

Credit: Midwest Regional Climate Center
Since mid-May, there has been a large disparity in rain totals from western to eastern Iowa.

Click here to view Local 5's Interactive Radar, or download the We Are Iowa app for We Are Iowa's Most Accurate Forecast.

Lack of rain combined with recent hot weather is beginning to put stress on crops.

Although a few scattered thunderstorms moved through the day on Thursday, western Iowa still largely missed out on the rain. Western Iowa will have a better shot at rain Saturday morning, as Local 5's forecast shows. 

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