Washington, DC (Northwestiowanow.com) — The area of D-1 “Moderate Drought” expanded in Iowa in the Thursday update of the USDA Drought Monitor.

All of Pocahontas County is now in that category along with Buena Vista and Cherokee counties. The Southeast 2/3rd of Palo Alto County remains in D-1 along with Eastern Emmet County and the Southern tips of Clay and O’Brien Counties. The remainder of the KICD Broadcast area remains classified as D-Zero Abnormally Dry. D-1 Moderate Drought expanded to our East in Kossuth County, and has now shown up to our West in Lyon County.

Statewide 18 percent of the state is abnormally dry, down 4 percent from one week ago; 26 percent is in moderate drought, up from 22; point zero eight percent remains in D-2 Moderate Drought. 55 percent of the state is considered normal – up one percent from last Thursday.