DES MOINES, Iowa -- Even after widespread rainfall across the state last week, Iowa is seeing an expansion of near-drought conditions this week.
The new US Drought Monitor Map is showing a widening of abnormally dry areas, especially in Western Iowa.
Near-drought is also creeping back into southwest and southeast corners of the state.
The drought monitor map shows nearly 44 percent of the state in near-drought this week, compared to about 38 percent last week.
Some places in Iowa got two or more inches of rain last week.
Precipitation rates in Iowa generally decline month-by-month across the last half of the year.
Map image from the National Drought Mitigation Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln