Washington DC (northwestiowanow.com) — Recent precipitation in Northwest Iowa has finally led to a week over week improvement in the USDA Drought Monitor.

Over half of the KICD Broadcast area has been in the “Severe Drought” category for three weeks with Northern portions in that category for five weeks. As of Thursday morning all nine counties are now considered to be in “moderate drought.” The drought is now considered severe in just two percent of the state: covering Western portions of Sioux, Plymouth, and Woodbury counties.

Just under seven percent of the state is drought free, 33 percent is listed as “Abnormally Dry” and the remaining 58 percent is in that D-1 moderate category.