El Nino rains are on the horizon, but for right now, we still have to deal with the ongoing drought conditions. Iowa State Climatologist Dr. Justin Glisan provided an update on the latest drought monitor report.
While we wait for the quenching rains, Glisan said there?s long-term drought expansion and rapid onset drought hitting parts of the state.
As of last Thursday, we are officially in an El Nino climate designation. However, Glisan said that doesn?t mean rain is going to instantaneously arrive here in Iowa.
The jetstream that normally brings storms through the Midwest has been sitting further south than normal recently, but Glisan said it?s now looking like the atmosphere will shift and potentially bring some severe weather- which is how we get most of our precipitation- through the region.
We?ve had a lack of severe weather over the past couple of years, but that doesn’t mean that it?s any easier to predict.
Glisan added that these drought conditions make it more important than ever to submit ground reports to the Iowa Climatology Bureau.
For more information or to submit a report, visit iowaagriculture.gov/climatology-bureau.
