DES MOINES, Iowa -- Drought conditions in Iowa are spreading, and getting worse.
"We've about doubled the area of extreme drought. It expanded westward and actually crossed the river. Now Nebraska has a little bit of extreme drought" says Iowa Department of Natural Resources Hydrology Resources Coordinator Tim Hall.
This week's National Drought Monitor Map shows all or part of 20 counties in Southwest, Central, and West Central Iowa now in extreme drought.
He says 99 percent of Iowa is also now at least abnormally dry, with drought conditions in 82 percent of the state.
"It appears for the month of August on a statewide average we're going to be about three inches below normal on rainfall" Hall says.
He also says Iowa is running out of time to reverse nearly statewide drought conditions.
"We're starting to move into the months of the year when precipitation drops, on average, about an inch a month. That makes us more concerned about groundwater recharge, refilling streams and the soil moisture" Hall says.
He also says Iowa is moving into the time of year when regular rain that would help ease drought conditions will also make it hard for farmers who need to get into their fields to harvest crops.
Image from The National Drought Mitigation Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln