Iowa, 2022

Drought in Iowa, October 18 to 31, 2022

October 18 to 31, 2022 · NWS FSD · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

While temperatures were much closer to normal in October, precipitation was generally less than 25 percent of normal, leading to the maintenance of long-term drought conditions.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
$6.1 million
Events
2

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS FSD wrote it up.

While temperatures were much closer to normal in October, precipitation was generally less than 25 percent of normal, leading to the maintenance of long-term drought conditions.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 17, 5:19 PM CST, 6 hours 41 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 17, 5:19 PM CST, 6 hours 41 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Lyon

When
October 18, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lyon forecast zone
Crop damage
$5.4 million
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
43.381, -96.210 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Despite near normal temperatures, precipitation at Rock Rapids was around 10 percent of normal during October. Severe (D2) drought conditions developed mid-month. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Drought, Osceola

When
October 18, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Osceola forecast zone
Crop damage
$625,000
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
43.379, -95.624 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Despite near normal temperatures, precipitation at Sibley was around 25 percent of normal during October. Severe (D2) drought conditions developed mid-month. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Iowa in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, October 2022

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1057380, 1057381.