Still Abnormally Dry in Parts of the Area

Updated on Thursday, August 4, 2022
Next Scheduled Update:  Thursday, August 11, 2022

From 7 AM on July 26 through 7 AM on August 1, a narrow 1 to 1.5 inches of rain band fell from Austin, MN to Lanesboro, WI. Elsewhere, rain totals were less than an inch. Since the heaviest rain missed the driest areas in the La Crosse Hydrologic Service (HSA), abnormally dry (D0) conditions continue in Floyd County in northeast Iowa; Dodge and Wabasha counties in southeast Minnesota; and Buffalo and Taylor counties in western Wisconsin.

U.S. Drought Monitor Summary:

In the August 4 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, abnormally dry (D0) to extreme (D3) drought were found in northwest Iowa.

Abnormally dry (D0) conditions to severe (D1) drought were found in east-central Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin; and in north-central Iowa.

Abnormally dry (D0) conditions to moderate (D1) drought were found in southern Iowa; west-central Minnesota; north-central and northeast Wisconsin; and in the far southeast corner of Wisconsin.

Abnormally dry (D0) conditions were found in north-central and northeast Illinois.

Note: The data cutoff for Drought Monitor maps is Tuesday at 7 a.m. Central Daylight Time.

 

State Drought Statistics

Local Area Affected:

​Abnormally Dry (D0) in all or parts of:

• Northeast Iowa:  Floyd County.
• Southeast Minnesota:  Dodge and Wabasha counties.
• Western Wisconsin:  Buffalo and Taylor counties.

State/Local Government Actions:

No known actions are taking place at this time.

Climatological Summary:

From April 1 through August 1, 2022: Rainfall deficits ranged from 2 to 5 inches across across parts of northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and western Wisconsin. These deficits have resulted in abnormally dry (D0) conditions in Floyd County in northeast Iowa; Dodge and Wabasha counties in southeast Minnesota; and Buffalo and Taylor counties in western Wisconsin.

The U.S. Drought Monitor is a weekly collaborative effort between a number of federal agencies including NOAA/NWS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Drought Mitigation Center. Details and explanations of the Drought Monitor can be found at the website:

U.S. Drought Monitor

The categories of drought are defined as follows:

Abnormally Dry (D0) - Going into drought: short-term dryness slowing planting, growth of crops or pastures; fire risk above average. Coming out of drought: some lingering water deficits; pastures or crops not fully recovered.

Moderate Drought (D1) - Some damage to crops, pastures; fire risk high; streams, reservoirs, or wells low, some water shortages developing or imminent, voluntary water use restrictions requested.

Severe Drought (D2) - Crop or pasture losses likely; fire risk very high; water shortages common; water restrictions imposed.

Extreme Drought (D3) - Major crop/pasture losses; extreme fire danger; widespread water shortages or restrictions.

Exceptional Drought (D4) - Exceptional and widespread crop/pasture losses; exceptional fire risk; shortages of water in reservoirs, streams, and wells, creating water emergencies.


Potential Evapotranspiration Rates:

• Iowa

Disaster & Drought Assistance:

• USDA County Drought Disaster List
• Disaster Assistance Programs FSA
• Emergency Farm Loans
• Emergency Haying & Grazing

Other Drought Web Sites:

• Minnesota DNR
• ReadyWisconsin (Part of the Wisconsin Emergency Management Team)

Drought ACIS:

This tool allows you the ability to explore data related to drought from the Regional Climate Centers (RCCs).  You can look at length or periods without rain, temperature data, and more.  Click on the logo below to gain access to this tool.

http://drought.rcc-acis.org/

As of the morning of August 4, the river and stream flows ranged from below to near normal in southeast Minnesota; ranged form near- to above-normal in western Wisconsin; and ranged from near to much-above normal in northeast Iowa.

NOTE: This is time-sensitive and conditions could change.  Updated river and streamflow conditions can be found via links to the right.

Hourly and forecast river stages out to 90 days can be found at:

• NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS)

Additional Current stream and river stages may be viewed at:

• USGS WaterWatch

An interactive table of sites that are at or near record flows can be found at:

• USGS WaterWatch 

The following reports came from the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending on July 31, 2022.

Iowa:

Very little precipitation across the State resulted in 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork. Increasingly dry conditions are a concern for many. Fieldwork included cutting and baling hay and pesticide applications.

• Topsoil moisture condition rated 17 percent very short, 32 percent short, 50 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.
• Subsoil moisture condition rated 15 percent very short, 31 percent short, 53 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.

Corn silking or beyond was 87 percent, 2 days behind both last year and the 5-year average. Thirty percent of the corn crop has reached the dough stage or beyond, 3 days behind last year but even with the average. One percent of Iowa’s corn crop has reached the dent stage, 6 days behind last year and 3 days behind the average. Corn condition fell slightly to 76 percent good to excellent. Eighty-three percent of soybeans were blooming, 1 week behind last year and 2 days behind average. Fifty-two percent of the soybean crop was setting pods, 6 days behind last year and 1 day behind the 5-year average. Iowa’s soybean condition declined slightly to 73 percent good to excellent. Ninety-one percent of oats were turning color or beyond, 8 days behind last year. Oats harvested for grain reached 64 percent, 1 day behind last year and the average.

Eighty-nine percent of the State’s second cutting of alfalfa hay was complete, with the third cutting at 13 percent. All hay condition rated 61 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition rated 47 percent good to excellent. Lack of rain stressed pastures and livestock last week.

Minnesota:

Minnesota had 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork. Dry conditions continued across much of the state.

• Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 8 percent very short, 20 percent short, 66 percent adequate, and 6 percent surplus.
• Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 5 percent very short, 19 percent short, 71 percent adequate, and 5 percent surplus.

Corn silking was at 75 percent, 5 days behind the 5-year average. Corn dough reached 13 percent. Corn condition was 2 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 52 percent good, and 11 percent excellent. Soybeans blooming or beyond reached 81 percent, 5 days behind average. Soybeans setting pods reached 36 percent. Soybean condition was 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 55 percent good, and 11 percent excellent.

Oats were 98 percent headed, 75 percent coloring, and 16 percent harvested. Oat condition was 1 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 53 percent good, and 11 percent excellent. Spring wheat was 100 percent headed and 45 percent coloring. Spring wheat condition was 0 percent very poor, 0 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 74 percent good, and 8 percent excellent. Barley was 98 percent headed, 48 percent coloring, and 4 percent harvested. Barley condition was 0 percent very poor, 1 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 62 percent good, and 6 percent excellent.

Dry edible beans were 90 percent blooming and 44 percent setting pods. Dry edible bean condition was 0 percent very poor, 1 percent poor, 27 percent fair, 61 percent good, and 11 percent excellent. Sunflower condition was 0 percent very poor, 0 percent poor, 20 percent fair, 71 percent good, and 9 percent excellent. Alfalfa hay second cutting was at 80 percent.

Potato condition was 0 percent very poor, 0 percent poor, 5 percent fair, 69 percent good, and 26 percent excellent. Sugarbeet condition was 2 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 23 percent fair, 16 percent good, and 55 percent excellent.

All hay condition was rated at 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 20 percent fair, 60 percent good, and 15 percent excellent. Pasture condition was rated at 3 percent very poor, 11 percent poor, 19 percent fair, 53 percent good, and 14 percent excellent.

Wisconsin:

Wisconsin had 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork for the week. It was another dry week across most of the state, and some crops, especially in the North, are showing signs of stress due to the dry conditions.

• Topsoil moisture condition rated 6 percent very short, 22 percent short, 70 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus.
• Subsoil moisture condition rated 8 percent very short, 21 percent short, 69 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus.

Corn silking was 56 percent, 8 days behind last year and 4 days behind the 5-year average. Seven percent of corn had reached the dough stage, 5 days behind last year and 3 days behind the average. Corn condition was 77 percent good to excellent statewide, down 2 percentage points from last week.

Soybeans blooming was 77 percent, 1 week behind last year but even with the average. Soybeans setting pods was 41 percent, 8 days behind last year and 2 days behind the average. Soybean condition was 77 percent good to excellent, down 2 percentage points from last week.

Oats coloring was at 84 percent, 5 days behind last year but even with the average. Oat harvested for grain was 16 percent, 5 days behind last year and 2 days behind the average. Oat condition was 81 percent good to excellent, the same as last week.

Potatoes harvested was at 7 percent, 1 day behind last year but even with the average. Potato condition was 95 percent good to excellent, down 3 percentage points from last week.

Winter wheat harvested for grain was 56 percent, 1 week behind last year but 1 day ahead of the average. Winter wheat condition was rated 83 percent good to excellent statewide, down 2 percentage points from last week.

The second cutting of alfalfa was reported at 94 percent complete, 3 days behind last year but 6 days ahead of the average. The third cutting of alfalfa was 41 percent complete, 4 days ahead of the average. All hay condition was reported 77 percent good to excellent condition, down 4 percentage points from last week. Pasture condition was rated 68 percent good to excellent, down 4 percentage points from last week.

Soil moisture supply measures how much moisture is present in cropland topsoil during the week. Soil moisture is reported as a percentage. The categories very short, short, adequate, and surplus must add up to 100%.

Very Short - Soil moisture supplies are significantly less than what is required for normal plant development. Growth has been stopped, or nearly so, and plants are showing visible signs of moisture stress. Under these conditions, plants will quickly suffer irreparable damage.

Short - Soil dry.  Seed germination and/or normal crop growth and development would be curtailed.

Adequate - Soil moist.  Seed germination and/or crop growth and development would be normal or unhindered.

Surplus - Soil wet.  Fields may be muddy and will generally be unable to absorb additional moisture.  Young developing crops may be yellowing from excess moisture.

The map below lists the Agricultural Districts in southeast Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and northeast Iowa.

For additional information on agriculture impacts may be viewed from the:

• USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
• Iowa
• Minnesota
• Wisconsin

Description of Fire Danger Ratings

• Low fire danger
• Moderate fire danger
• High fire danger
• Very high danger
• Extreme fire danger

For updated DNR Fire Conditions consult the following Web Sites:

• Iowa Grassland Fire Danger Index
• Minnesota DNR
• Wisconsin DNR

The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is a drought index that is specifically related to fire potential. The KDBI is broken into four categories which indicate the susceptibility of ground fuels to fire danger. Below are the four categories and a brief description of each.

KBDI and Dead Fuel Moisture data can be found through the:

• Wildland Fire Assessment System (WFAS)

Burn Bans:

• Iowa

• 8 to 14 Day Outlook
• Experimental Week 3 & 4 Outlooks 
• 30 Day Outlook
• 90 Day Outlook

NCEP's CFSv2 (Coupled Forecast System Model Version 2):

• Weekly
• Monthly
• Seasonal

County Analysis Precipitation Tool

If you have any questions or comments about this drought information please contact the NWS La Crosse at:

E-mail: nws.lacrosse@noaa.gov
Telephone: 608-784-8275

Other Contacts:

Local Agricultural Impacts:

• Cooperative Extension Agency
• Farm Service Agency

State climate impacts:

• American Association of State Climatologists (AASC)