There’s still hope that the remainder of the fall will bring heavier moisture than normal that can help cut back the ongoing drought in Iowa. D-N-R hydrologist Tim Hall says recent rains weren’t enough to make a big dent, but they did erase the areas of D-4 or extreme drought.
The D-3 designation is extreme drought compared to the D-4 exceptional drought designation. There is only a small sliver of the state that has no drought. Hall says late fall has not been the best time to make up a moisture deficit, though there have been exceptions.
He says warmer temperatures would help, as they keep the ground from freezing and shutting out water.
The short-term forecast has the potential for some rain in the coming week.
Hall says any rain we get before the ground freezes is a bonus in helping build up of the groundwater that has been way behind for months.
