While drought intensity has increased in northwest Iowa, conditions have remained the same in the Raccoon Valley Radio-listening area this week.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor Report shows Greene, Guthrie, and most of Dallas counties experiencing severe drought, with the southeast corner of Dallas County under moderate drought. Most of Iowa is under some level of drought threat, while this time a year ago there were no such conditions measured. Drought conditions have lingered in the Raccoon Valley Radio listening area since May, and the current estimated number of Iowans in drought areas is 1,328,138.