February was among the warmest and driest on record in Iowa

by Jared Strong

February temperatures in Iowa averaged more than 12 degrees above normal this year, which makes it one of the warmest on record, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Whether it ranks as the first- or second-warmest February in the past 150 years awaits analysis by the state climatologist. The month was also among the top three driest with a statewide average of .21 inches of precipitation. That is less than a fifth of what is typically expected.

Widespread drought conditions worsened slightly throughout the month, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

“A very dry February has wiped out much of the benefit received from the wet January,” said Tim Hall, hydrology resources coordinator for the DNR. “The encouraging trend that started the winter has not continued.”

January was the 18th wettest on record, with a statewide average of 1.71 inches of precipitation — about 76% more than normal. Two winter storms left record snowfall across southern Iowa, including a monthly total of 38.7 inches in Ottumwa.

February snowfall averaged about 1.1 inches statewide, or about 5.7 inches less than what is typically expected.

Climate outlooks indicate chances for a spring that is warmer and wetter than normal. The federal Climate Prediction Center projects the drought conditions will improve in the southern half of the state.

About 80% of the state is suffering from some degree of drought, with the driest soil conditions in the northeast quadrant of Iowa. All or parts of 30 counties have extreme drought, the second-worst classification designated by the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Drought has been present in parts of the state since July 2020, which makes it the longest drought in about 70 years. Conditions have improved since a peak of dryness in September, but the state is still by far the driest its been in recent years leading into the corn and soybean growing seasons.

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