The most recent drought monitor was status quo. We?re still trending in the right direction, though, especially compared to where things were last year. Iowa State Climatologist Dr. Justin Glisan provided a breakdown of the U.S. Drought Monitor Report.
The weather has been especially sporadic lately, as it seems like we?re alternating between spring and winter almost every other day. But at this time of year, that?s what we should expect to see.
The recent snow event that was supposed to hit central Iowa wasn?t nearly as bad as we expected. Glisan said it?s difficult to predict these smaller scale weather events.
April is looking to have a more active storm track as well, but Glisan said that the initial weather outlooks haven?t given too much guidance yet. Those final weather outlooks will be released this Friday.
The temperatures have been favorable recently, which means that most of the moisture from the recent snow events has been able to enter the soil profiles. The northern states got a particularly large amount of snow, and Glisan said that we could see significant flooding if that snow melts quickly.
Glisan added that, as we head into planting season, the moisture outlooks are looking favorable.
For more information or to report on your local drought conditions, visit iowaagriculture.gov/climatology-bureau.
