DES MOINES — Heavy rain delivered more than two inches of moisture to portions of Northern Iowa during the week ending Sunday, August 9, 2026, while statewide corn and soybean crops remained overwhelmingly rated in good-to-excellent condition.
Mason City collected 2.21 inches of rain, while Nashua received 2.24 inches during the week, according to the latest Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report and accompanying state weather summary.
A broad portion of Iowa stretching from north-central into southwestern counties received between 0.75 and 1.50 inches as repeated rounds of showers and thunderstorms crossed the state.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said the precipitation was welcomed by farmers, although western and northwestern Iowa did not receive enough moisture to substantially improve ongoing drought conditions.
“Widespread rain during the week and storms over the weekend brought welcome moisture to many parts of Iowa,” Naig said. “Unfortunately, western and northwestern portions of the state did not receive enough rain to improve drought conditions.”
That uneven rainfall continues a pattern <a href=”https://northiowatoday.com/2026/08/05/dry-conditions-spread-across-iowa-as-drought-watches-remain-in-northwest-expand-to-southwest/”>NIT reported earlier this month, when state officials maintained a drought watch for northwest Iowa and expanded the designation into southwestern counties</a>.
Naig said severe thunderstorms also produced tornado, wind and hail damage in eastern Iowa. Cooler temperatures and additional showers were expected during the opening days of the Iowa State Fair, while the following week offered improved chances for significant rainfall.
Corn and soybeans remain strong
Iowa farmers had 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork during the week, compared with 4.7 days during the corresponding period last year.
Corn was rated 78 percent good to excellent, down slightly from the 80 percent reported <a href=”https://northiowatoday.com/2026/08/04/iowa-crops-hold-strong-after-brutal-heat-and-wildly-uneven-rainfall/”>in the previous weekly crop update</a>.
Corn silking reached 97 percent, placing development two percentage points ahead of last year.
Sixty-nine percent of Iowa corn had reached the dough stage, three percentage points ahead of last year. Twelve percent had reached the dent stage, two points behind the previous year.
Soybeans were rated 77 percent good to excellent.
Blooming reached 93 percent, one percentage point ahead of last year. Seventy-two percent of soybeans were setting pods, two points behind last year.
The oat harvest reached 93 percent completion, putting farmers 13 percentage points ahead of last year. Oats were rated 82 percent good to excellent.
Pasture condition was rated 66 percent good to excellent.
Moisture conditions improve
Topsoil moisture was rated:
7 percent very short
21 percent short
67 percent adequate
5 percent surplus
Subsoil moisture was rated:
7 percent very short
27 percent short
62 percent adequate
4 percent surplus
The figures show improved topsoil conditions from the previous week, when 10 percent was rated very short and 25 percent was considered short.
Despite that statewide improvement, western Iowa continues to face persistent rainfall shortages. Dry conditions have remained particularly concerning in the northwest, where <a href=”https://northiowatoday.com/2026/04/09/iowas-drought-condition-improve-after-rainfall-over-past-week/”>a drought watch has remained in effect through several reporting periods</a>.
Severe storms strike Iowa
Several rounds of rain and thunderstorms produced an average of 1.87 inches across Iowa during the week, more than double the normal weekly amount of 0.88 inch.
Weekly totals ranged from just 0.04 inch near Dubuque to 5.77 inches at Murray in Clarke County.
Southern Iowa received some of the heaviest rainfall early in the week. Murray recorded 5.72 inches during one storm system, while Creston collected 4.63 inches and Seymour received 4.26 inches.
More than 150 reporting stations measured at least one inch, while more than 50 stations collected at least two inches.
Friday, August 7, brought another round of severe weather. A powerful storm complex developed from north-central through eastern Iowa, producing an EF-2 tornado near Fairbank in Buchanan County and an EF-1 tornado at Prairieburg in Linn County.
Naig said the storms left tornado, wind and hail damage in some communities and farming areas.
Additional thunderstorms developed during the weekend. Four reporting stations around Fort Dodge measured between two and 2.38 inches as a slow-moving storm produced heavy downpours.
Temperatures held close to normal
Cloud cover, rain and wildfire smoke helped keep temperatures near normal across much of the state.
Iowa’s average temperature was 74.5 degrees, only 0.4 degrees above normal.
Des Moines International Airport recorded the week’s highest temperature at 91 degrees on August 9, seven degrees above normal.
Spencer Municipal Airport reported the lowest temperature at 47 degrees on August 8, which was 14 degrees below normal.