Some Improvements in the DroughtUpdated on Thursday, January 16, 2024 |
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From September 1 through November 30 (meteorological autumn), precipitation totals ranged from 3.58" near Oelwein, IA to 11.16" near Hillsboro, WI. Precipitation anomalies ranged from 4" drier than normal to 1" wetter than normal. During this same time period, temperatures anomalies ranged from 3 to 5°F warmer than normal. This combination of this dryness and above-normal temperatures resulted in abnormally dry (D0) to moderate (D1) drought west of the Mississippi River in northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota and north of Interstate 90 in Wisconsin. During the first half of meteorological winter (December 1 through January 16), precipitation totals ranged from 1.07" near Cashton, WI to 2.02" near Lynxville, WI. Typically between 1.5 to 2.5" of precipitation falls during this time period. This resulted in a small improvements in the drought in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and in west-central and southwest Wisconsin. Note: The impacts of any precipitation that fell after 7 AM Tuesday, January 14 will be evaluated next week. U.S. Drought Monitor Summary: In the January 16 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, it ranged from no drought to severe (D2) drought in Minnesota, and from no drought to moderate (D1) drought in Iowa, northern Illinois, and Wisconsin. Note: The data cutoff for Drought Monitor maps is Tuesday at 7 a.m. Central Daylight Time.
Moderate (D1) Drought in all or parts of:
Abnormally Dry (D0) to Moderate (D1) Drought in all or parts of:
Abnormally Dry (D0) in all or parts of:
No known actions are taking place in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and western Wisconsin. Climatological Summary:
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The U.S. Drought Monitor is a weekly collaborative effort between several federal agencies including NOAA/NWS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Drought Mitigation Center. Details and explanations of the Drought Monitor can be found at: The categories of drought are defined as follows: Moderate Drought (D1) - Some damage to crops and pastures; fire risk high; streams, reservoirs, or wells low, some water shortages developing or imminent, voluntary water use restrictions requested. Severe Drought (D2) - Crop or pasture losses likely; fire risk very high; water shortages common; water restrictions imposed. Extreme Drought (D3) - Major crop/pasture losses; extreme fire danger; widespread water shortages or restrictions. Exceptional Drought (D4) - Exceptional and widespread crop/pasture losses; exceptional fire risk; shortages of water in reservoirs, streams, and wells, creating water emergencies. Disaster & Drought Assistance:
Other Drought Web Sites:
Drought Plans:
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As of the morning of January 16, rivers and stream flows were near normal in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and from southwest into central Wisconsin. NOTE: This is time-sensitive and conditions could change. Updated river and streamflow conditions can be found via links to the right. |
Hourly and forecast river stages out to 90 days can be found at: Additional Current stream and river stages may be viewed at: An interactive table of sites that are at or near record flows can be found at: |
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As of the morning of January 16, fire danger was moderate (fires start easily and spread at a moderate rate) in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and south of Interstate 90 in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, fire danger remained low (fires are not easily started) north of Interstate 90 in Wisconsin. NOTE: This is time-sensitive and conditions could change from day to day. Fire conditions can change drastically on drier, windy days. Updated DNR fire conditions can be found via links to the right. Citizens should always check with local officials in their area before undertaking any outside burning. Citizens are liable for damages and suppression costs of any wildfire they may start. |
Description of Fire Danger Ratings For updated DNR Fire Conditions consult the following Web Sites: The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is a drought index that is specifically related to fire potential. The KDBI is broken into four categories which indicate the susceptibility of ground fuels to fire danger. Below are the four categories and a brief description of each.
KBDI and Dead Fuel Moisture data can be found through the: Burn Bans: |
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From January 17 through January 21, temperatures and precipitation will average below normal. During this time frame, daily average temperatures range from 13 to 18°F, and precipitation averages around 2 tenths of an inch. From January 22 through January 28 (8-14 day outlook), the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) is forecasting enhanced chances of below-normal temperatures (33-40%) and near-normal precipitation. The normal daily average temperatures for this period range from 14 to 19°F and the normal precipitation averages around 3 tenths of an inch. For the month of February, the CPC is forecasting enhanced chances for colder (33-40%) and wetter (33-50%) than normal. The 1991-2020 normals for temperatures are 15 to 20°F north of Interstate 94 and from around 20 to 25°F across the remainder of the area, and normal precipitation ranges from 0.8 to 1.6" (highest in southwest Wisconsin). From February through April, the CPC has equal chances of warmer-, near-, and colder-than-normal in the Upper Mississippi River Valley. The forecast for precipitation has enhanced chances for wetter-than-normal (33-40%). Seasonal temperatures are in 25 to 30°F range north of Wisconsin 29 and from 30 to 35°F across the remainder of the area. Seasonal precipitation ranges from 5.5 to 6.5" north of Interstate 90 and from 6.5 to 8" across the remainder of the area. Below are the seasonal outlooks for the next year.
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For updated temperature and precipitation probabilities consult the following Climate Prediction Center (CPC) Web Sites:
NCEP's CFSv2 (Coupled Forecast System Model Version 2): |
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If you have any questions or comments about this drought information please contact the NWS La Crosse at: E-mail: nws.lacrosse@noaa.gov |
Other Contacts: State climate impacts: |
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