DES MOINES — Rain brought some badly needed relief across Iowa in August, but stubborn drought conditions continue to grip portions of Northern and western Iowa as farmers move toward harvest and the state heads into fall.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said Iowa experienced a wetter-than-normal August overall, yet dry conditions persisted or worsened in several parts of the state.
A severe drought area that developed in western Iowa during August kept a drought watch in effect for northwest Iowa and triggered a new drought watch for central Iowa.
The latest report comes just days after Northern Iowa received welcome rainfall as area farmers prepared for harvest.
Statewide precipitation totaled 4.79 inches during August, about 0.66 inches above normal.
But that statewide number masks major differences across Iowa.
Most areas received near- to below-normal rainfall, while northwest Iowa finished the month with precipitation deficits ranging from about 1 to 3 inches.
That persistent lack of moisture is keeping drought concerns alive even as some portions of Northern Iowa have seen repeated rounds of rain.
Earlier in August, heavy rain soaked portions of Northern Iowa while drought continued gripping western Iowa counties.
The DNR said low surface soil moisture was observed in western and eastern Iowa, while central portions of the state remained wetter.
Streamflows across Iowa were generally classified as normal.
According to the state’s drought plan, drought watches are now in effect for the northwest and central drought regions. Iowa’s other three drought regions remain under a normal designation.
The U.S. Drought Monitor shows nearly 26 percent of Iowa experiencing abnormally dry conditions, with nearly 9 percent of the state classified in moderate drought.
The situation has evolved throughout the summer.
In early August, dry conditions were spreading across Iowa as drought watches remained active, raising concerns about soil moisture and water availability as crops entered critical stages of development.
August temperatures offered little help.
Iowa averaged 71.9 degrees during the month, about 0.9 degrees above normal.
The warmest conditions occurred across central and northwest Iowa.
August 2026 tied 1921 and 2020 as the 75th-warmest August on record and ranked as Iowa’s 36th-wettest August.
Despite that relatively wet statewide ranking, northwest Iowa remains the area of greatest concern.
“While recent rainfall brought welcome relief to parts of Iowa, persistent dryness in the northwest keeps drought conditions active in those areas as we move into the fall,” DNR Environmental Specialist Jessica Reese McIntyre said.
The outlook offers no guarantee of substantial relief.
The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center is forecasting an increased chance of above-normal temperatures across Iowa during September.
For precipitation, Iowa has roughly equal chances of receiving above-normal, below-normal or near-normal rainfall.
The longer-range outlook through October indicates drought conditions across western and northwestern Iowa will likely persist.
That could become increasingly important as harvest accelerates and Iowa moves into the traditionally drier fall months.
The state’s Water Summary Update is prepared by specialists with the Iowa DNR, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering and the U.S. Geological Survey, working with Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management.