Photo: US Drought Monitor
(Undated) -- This week's US Drought Monitor shows drought expanding in Iowa and Illinois. Part of northeast and east central Iowa have slipped into exceptional drought. Nearly all of Iowa except for a small area in far southwest Iowa is either abnormally dry or in some form of drought. Conditions are better in Illinois, but most of the state (70%) remains abnormally dry. Dry conditions have prompted many farmers in Iowa and Illinois to get an early start on harvesting corn soybeans.
This week's report does not include rain that fell this week.
The National Weather Service says an active weather pattern could increase rain chances over the next seven days. Rain is possible Friday into the weekend.