Iowa is completely free from any level of dryness or drought for the first time since Aug. 26, 2025, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
A wetter-than-average October helped ease remaining pockets of dryness across the state. The wet month followed an even wetter September, erasing the last moderate drought conditions in northwest Iowa as tracked by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Statewide precipitation totaled 2.88 inches, which sat 0.19 inches above normal. That total ranked as the 59th wettest October on record, The Des Moines Register reported.
Much of that rain arrived on Oct. 8 and Oct. 15, totaling 0.55 inches and 0.47 inches respectively. Those figures came from the National Weather Service in Des Moines.
| Metric | Recorded Value | Comparison / Normal |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide Precipitation | 2.88 inches | 0.19 inches above normal |
| Statewide Temperature | 59.2 degrees | 8.2 degrees above normal |
| Drought-Free Timeline | Through Jan. 31, 2027 | First time free since Aug. 26, 2025 |
Statewide temperatures averaged 59.2 degrees, landing 8.2 degrees above normal. That tied 1900 as the fourth warmest October in 154 years of statewide records, the DNR said.
The weather service forecast above-normal precipitation and warmer-than-normal temperatures throughout November, as of Friday, Nov. 13. Looking further ahead, the Seasonal Drought Outlook projects that Iowa will remain entirely drought-free through Jan. 31, 2027.
Low temperatures start to drop below freezing over the weekend, according to the NWS forecast. On Friday, Nov. 13, the high reached 44 degrees with a low of 21 degrees.
On Saturday, Nov. 14, the forecast calls for a high of 46 degrees and a low of 23 degrees. On Sunday, Nov. 15, temperatures will reach a high of 48 degrees with a low of 27 degrees.
