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IOWA — While steady rainfall has been observed at many points this week, some parts of Iowa are still experiencing severe drought conditions and should avoid burning as drier and much windier weather arrives Friday.

3-Day Rain Totals (11 AM Monday-11 AM Thursday)

Drought Monitor

The most recent drought monitor shows some improvement in southwest Iowa, but because the cutoff for assessment was 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, it does not take into account the amount of moisture that was observed after that point. For many of the cities listed above, more than half of the observed precipitation from the past three days fell after 8:00 a.m. Tuesday.

Over 3/4 of the state remains at least abnormally dry while the other nearly 1/4 which is largely in southern and southwest Iowa, is being reported as normal. Parts of northwest, north central, and eastern Iowa (about 37% of the state) remain in a moderate drought while just over 2% of Iowa (northwest Iowa) is still experiencing severe drought conditions.

Friday’s Forecast

Cloud cover will continue into the overnight with light winds and temperatures in the upper 30s. A morning cold front will shift the wind direction toward the northwest with stronger winds behind the front. Cloud cover will clear throughout the day and temperatures will rise to near 50°, but the northwest wind will gust up to 45 mph, making it feel chillier. Wind speeds will stay elevated through early Saturday, but will not be as strong throughout the rest of the weekend.

With drought conditions still observed in parts of the state, all burning should be avoided. Cigarette/cigar butts should be discarded responsibly (not on the ground). If campfires are started, they should be a manageable size and never left unattended. Be sure to extinguish campfires with water until the hissing sound stops. Grills should be kept away from shrubs and never left unattended.

For more on the latest weather forecast, visit www.WHO13.com/weather.