No Change in the Drought This WeekUpdated on Thursday, December 5, 2024 |
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From August 28 through November 26 (past 90 days), precipitation totals ranged from 4.44" near Oelwein, IA to 12.67" near Bloomington, WI. Precipitation departures ranged from 3" wetter-than-normal to 3" drier than normal. The largest deficits (up to 3") were west of the Mississippi River in northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota, and north of Interstate 90 in Wisconsin. During this same time period, temperatures anomalies ranged from 3 to 7°F warmer than normal. This combination of this dryness and above-normal temperatures since late-August had 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 past week (November 27 through December 3), precipitation totals ranged from none at Elma, IA and New Hampton, IA to 0.59" near Mauston, WI. Typically between 0.3 to 0.4" of precipitation falls during this time period. This resulted in a small improvement in the drought in southeast Minnesota. Note: The impacts of any precipitation that fell after 7 AM Tuesday, November 26 will be evaluated next week. U.S. Drought Monitor Summary: In the December 3 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, it ranged from no drought to severe (D2) drought in Iowa and Minnesota, and from no drought to moderate (D1) drought in Wisconsin and northern Illinois. 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 December 3, rivers and stream flows ranged from near normal to above normal in northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota, and they were near-normal 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 December 3, fire danger ranged from low (fires are not easily started) to moderate (fires start easily and spread at a moderate rate) in northeast Iowa. Meanwhile, fire danger remained low in southeast Minnesota and from southwest into central 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 December 5 through December 10, temperatures will average near normal, and precipitation will average below normal. During this time frame, daily average temperatures range from 22 to 27°F, and precipitation averages around 3 tenths of an inch. From December 11 through December 17 (8-14 day outlook), the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) is forecasting enhanced chances of above-normal temperatures (40-50%) and near-normal precipitation. The normal daily average temperatures for this period range from 21 to 26°F and the normal precipitation averages between 3 and 4 tenths of an inch. From December 2024 through February 2025, the Climate Prediction Center 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 range from teens to mid-20s. Seasonal precipitation ranges from 3 to 5". 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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