DES MOINES, Iowa- It's hard to believe given the heavy rain and flash flooding we've seen recently, but there are still a few southern Iowa counties in severe drought.
Appanoose, Davis, Van Buren, and Lee counties are still struggling with very dry conditions.
This week's US Drought Monitor shows nearly two dozen southern Iowa counties either abnormally dry or in moderate drought.
Tim Hall, The Iowa Department of Natural Resources coordinator of hydrology resources says June was the 10th wettest June on record. Iowa received an average of 7.53 inches of rainfall, 2.53 inches above the 30-year average.
June was also the 10th warmest on record, following the third warmest May.
He says streams are flowing above normal across much of northern Iowa, and below normal in southeast Iowa.
"The pattern of a wetter northern Iowa and a drier southern Iowa continues, however, with portions of southeast Iowa now classified as severe drought. These conditions have persisted for about two years, and it will take several months of normal or above normal rainfall for that part of the state to improve," said Tim Hall, DNR’s coordinator of hydrology resources.