Iowa’s roller coaster rainfall pattern continues.

June rainfall was tied for 10th wettest on record since official data has been recorded for Iowa. That caused flooding across the state and continued into early July in some areas.

However,  July rainfall into late in the month was quite variable across the state. Many areas had below normal amounts, with more localized areas of heavier and above normal amounts.  More areas were seeing a need for rain later in the month.

Dry in southern Iowa

A persistent area of drought conditions continued to affect parts of southern Iowa southward, with worst conditions generally south of Iowa. Total soil moisture supplies in the top four to five feet of  the soil profile were around four inches below normal in some southern counties of Iowa in late July, according to data from the U.S. Climate Prediction Center. 

In the Tropical Pacific, sea surface...