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DNR News Releases

Archive by tag: precipitationReturn

Water Summary Update: Drought expands in Iowa after another dry month

• 9/8/2022 1:52:00 PM
• View Count 2844

DES MOINES — Iowa’s August precipitation was 3.53 inches, or 0.6 inches below normal for the month, according to the latest Water Summary Update. 

Water Summary Update: Iowa sees below normal rainfall for third month in a row

• 7/7/2022 11:28:00 AM
• View Count 4075

DES MOINES — Iowa’s June precipitation was 3.75 inches, 1.51 inches below normal for the month, according to the latest Water Summary Update.

Water Summary Update: February 2021 the eighth coldest on record in Iowa

• 3/11/2021 3:06:00 PM
• View Count 2504

DES MOINES — Last month’s polar vortex led to the eighth coldest February in Iowa on record while also tallying below-average precipitation, according to the latest Water Summary Update.

Water Summary Update: May rainfall about normal for Iowa

• 6/4/2020 12:43:00 PM
• View Count 2473

DES MOINES — While rainfall was about normal in May for the state, on average, a wide band across the central part of the state was drier than normal, while the north, south, and eastern edges were wetter, according to the latest Water Summary Update.

Water Summary Update: April cooler, drier than normal

• 5/14/2020 1:24:00 PM
• View Count 2208

DES MOINES — With average rainfall about 2 inches below normal and temperatures about 2 degrees below normal, April was cooler and drier than usual, according to the latest Water Summary Update. 

Water Summary Update: March sees above-average precipitation in Iowa

• 4/9/2020 1:34:00 PM
• View Count 2781

DES MOINES — Almost all stations across Iowa reported above average precipitation in March, with some locations reporting 2 to 2.5 inches above normal rainfall, according to the latest Water Summary Update. 

Water Summary Update: Drier February improves stream levels across Iowa

• 3/5/2020 2:17:00 PM
• View Count 2255

DES MOINES — With a drier February, stream levels have improved across much of the state, according to the latest Water Summary Update. 

Water Summary Update: January warmer with more rain and snow than usual

• 2/6/2020 12:06:00 PM
• View Count 2497

DES MOINES — Both statewide precipitation and temperatures were above average in January, according to the latest Water Summary Update. 

Water Summary Update: June rainfall an inch below normal

• 7/11/2019 1:42:00 PM
• View Count 2609

DES MOINES — After higher amounts of rainfall in May, June rainfall in Iowa was 3.86 inches, or more than an inch below normal for the month, according to the latest Water Summary Update. June is typically the wettest month of the year in Iowa.

Water Summary Update: May the sixth wettest on record in Iowa

• 6/13/2019 10:59:00 AM
• View Count 2741

DES MOINES — Since last June, Iowa has seen its wettest 12-month stretch on record, with this May being the sixth wettest on record, according to the latest Water Summary Update. 

Water Summary Update: Rapid runoff led to historic flooding in March

• 4/5/2019 8:00:00 AM
• View Count 2715

DES MOINES — Although statewide precipitation was slightly below average in March, a combination of high precipitation in Nebraska, snowmelt and rapid runoff led to historic flooding along the Missouri River, according to the latest Water Summary Update.

Water Summary Update: 2018 second only to 1993 in precipitation

• 1/10/2019 1:41:00 PM
• View Count 3315

DES MOINES — in 2018, Iowa received 45 inches of rainfall – nearly 10 inches more than normal. That puts 2018 second only to 1993 for average statewide precipitation, according to the year-end Water Summary Update.

Water Summary Update: the last year has been wetter, warmer

• 10/18/2018 1:42:00 PM
• View Count 2702

DES MOINES — The last year has been overall wetter and a bit warmer, according to the latest Water Summary Update.

Water Summary Update: cool and dry April sets records

• 5/11/2018 9:09:00 AM
• View Count 3416

DES MOINES —As most Iowans noticed, this was an unusual start to spring in April, exceptionally cooler and drier than normal. This April was the coldest on record, and the 13th driest on record, according to the latest Water Summary Update.

Water Summary Update: Extra precipitation at start of year helps improve drought conditions

• 3/8/2018 1:28:00 PM
• View Count 3381

DES MOINES — The normally dry months of January and February produced more than 2.5 inches of moisture this year, enough to continue improvement in drought conditions across much of the state, according to the latest Water Summary Update from the Iowa DNR.

Water Summary Update: Dry end to 2017 offsets wet start to year

• 1/4/2018 12:06:00 PM
• View Count 3788

DES MOINES — Iowa received a statewide annual precipitation of 33 inches in 2017, more than two inches less than normal, according to the latest Water Summary Update from the Iowa DNR. 

Abnormally dry conditions return to Iowa following little rain in November

• 12/14/2017 11:44:00 AM
• View Count 3229

DES MOINES — For the first time since September, abnormally dry conditions have returned to the state following a dry November, according to the latest Water Summary Update from the Iowa DNR. 

Drought conditions improve following fall rains in Iowa

• 10/9/2017 1:51:00 PM
• View Count 3854

DES MOINES — The last year has been overall drier and a bit warmer, according to the latest Water Summary Update. 

Stream flows remain high, ground water conditions good heading into Iowa’s driest season

• 11/4/2016 9:47:00 AM
• View Count 7761

DES MOINES— October was the first month since June for below normal rainfall. Despite the drier month, stream flows remain high, and groundwater conditions are predominantly good. Iowa heads now into the driest and most hydrologically stable four months of the year.

Water Summary Update: 2016 Water Year much wetter than normal

• 10/11/2016 9:16:00 AM
• View Count 7053

DES MOINES— The 2016 Water Year (ending September 30, 2016) brought a statewide average precipitation of almost 45 inches, 9.6 inches more than normal. This ranks as the third wettest water year among 144 years of record.

Water Summary Update: July and August wettest months so far in 2016

• 9/1/2016 1:26:00 PM
• View Count 6381

July and August have easily been the two wettest months of 2016, and have continued to improve the overall hydrologic condition of the state. The National Drought Monitor has removed areas of moderate drought from Iowa, and less than 6 percent of the state is shown as “abnormally dry” – continuing the improvement that been occurring over the last several weeks.

Water Summary Update: Conditions Remain Stable Through Unusually Warm and Wet November

• 12/10/2015 8:55:00 AM
• View Count 4520

DES MOINES — Overall conditions continue to be stable across the state through a warm transition into winter and precipitation is running high due to a very wet November.