Drought Information Statement for Eastern IA, Northwest IL & Northeast MO Valid April 19, 2024 Issued By: WFO Quad Cities IA/IL Contact Information: nws.quadcities@noaa.gov This product will be updated on or after the 4th Thursday of the month or sooner if drought conditions change significantly. Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements. Please visit https://www.weather.gov/dvn/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. Drought conditions improved quickly through the first half of April. As chances for precipitation increase in the next few weeks, so will evapo-transpiration needs as the spring green-up commences. This could lead to some slight improvements, or at worse, status quo drought conditions by the next update. 1 U.S. Drought Monitor Link to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor Extreme Drought Conditions remain at same level in the DVN County Warning Area (CWA) Drought intensity and Extent Widespread improvements have occurred over the past week. D4 (Exceptional Drought): Now is entirely absent from the DVN CWA. D3 (Extreme Drought): Now covers only 5.04% of the DVN CWA. All of this is within eastern Iowa. D2 (Severe Drought): Now covers 15.44% of the DVN CWA, again with all of this category being in eastern Iowa. D1 (Moderate Drought): Now covers only 25.76% of the DVN CWA, with only a very small section of D1 in far western Illinois. Recent Change in Drought Intensity Link to the latest 4-week change map for Midwest Four Week Drought Monitor Class Change. Drought Worsened: Parts of Missouri, Kentucky, southern Illinois and northern Minnesota. No Change: Large swaths throughout the region have seen little to no change, including a bulk of the states of Indiana and Ohio, as well as central to eastern Kentucky. Drought Improved: In a number of places scattered across the upper Midwest, including southern Illinois and Michigan. Large swaths of improvements, including some 2-category improvements in Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Precipitation Most of the DVN CWA saw average or higher precipitation in the previous week, except in parts of central and western Illinois. Outside of the DVN CWA rainfall amounts were also well above average in most of the area to our north and well below average in a band stretching from northeast Oklahoma to the Chicago metro. MRCC Temperature Average temperatures ranged between 55-65 degrees. This is above normal. Regionally, temperatures were generally well above normal in the Upper Midwest. Summary of Impacts Link Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) and view the Drought Impacts Reporter Hydrologic Impacts Streamflows remain near to below normal across most of Iowa and near to above normal in western Illinois. (USGS) Agricultural Impacts Anomalously dry soils remain throughout the DVN CWA, but we are seeing increasing amounts of available water in the upper soil zones. (CPC Soil Moisture) Fire Hazard Impacts There are no known impacts at this time. Other Impacts Rainfall is forecast next week, in increasing amounts as you head north and west in the DVN CWA. (WPC Precipitation Totals) Mitigation Actions Please refer to your municipality and/or water provider for mitigation information. Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts Many river levels have returned to lower flows over the past few weeks in the DVN Hydrologic Service Area (HSA). Streamflows are running near normal with only a few running below normal in eastern Iowa. Despite the lower river levels, the Mississippi River remains navigable at this time. Agricultural Impacts Locally, we are observing below normal soil moisture conditions in Iowa and near normal conditions in most of our Illinois service area. The driest soils can be seen in area around the confluence of the Tennessee and Ohio rivers. Much of the local area, along with areas directly north, are seeing near normal available crop moisture. This change can partially be attributed to the end of the traditional growing season. Fire Hazard Impacts Link to Wildfire Potential Outlooks from the National Interagency Coordination Center. Seven Day Precipitation Forecast Through the next 7 days, we are expecting to see 0.75 to 2.00 inches of precipitation with varying local amounts possible. All of this precipitation is expected to fall as liquid precipitation. If these precipitation totals occur, it is likely that we will see drought remain status quo or even slight improvements over the next 2 weeks. Rapid Onset Drought Outlook Links to the latest Climate Prediction Center 8 to 14 day Temperature Outlook and Precipitation Outlook. Throughout the region, we are not expecting any further rapid-onset drought, or flooding. Long-Range Outlooks The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage Warmer than normal temperatures are possible for May for the DVN CWA. Equal chances for above or below normal precipitation amounts is possible for May in most of the DVN CWA and but higher than normal chances to our south and west. Drought Outlook The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage Drought will likely persist across the western part of the DVN CWA through the end of July, but most likely we also see some improvement in those conditions . Along the edges of the area in central Iowa that will continue to have drought into July, will be areas that can expect to exit drought by the end of July. Updates once a month, so include in 1st update of the calendar month.