(Des Moines)--The latest water summary update shows drought conditions remain in portions of northwest Iowa.
Statewide precipitation for June averaged 5.22 inches, which is 0.04 inches below normal. However, this average does not demonstrate that the localized monthly totals varied from a deficit-heavy 0.92 inches in Cherokee to an isolated high of 14.75 inches in Russell. Overall, June 2026 ranks as the 96th driest June in 154 years of statewide records.
In this area, almost all of Kossuth County, the southeast corner of Emmet County and the eastern third of Palo Alto County are in the D-1 or moderate drought category. The remainder of northwest Iowa is in the D-0 or abnormally dry category. Last month, all of northwest Iowa was in the moderate drought category.
