Associated Press
06-16-06
Spring's rainy start in SE Iowa dries up a summer arrives
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa The word "drought" is being mentioned again in
southeast Iowa.
The rainy start to spring, which was approaching normal moisture levels, is
drying up as summer arrives.
Experts say it's too early to panic, but conditions are far from ideal.
Mark Svoboda (svuh-BOH'-dah) with the National Drought Mitigation Center in
Nebraska says it's gotten worse and the big fall-off has come in the last 60 days.
Svoboda says drought is creeping back in the picture, and timely rains will be
needed.
Iowa State University climatologist Elwynn Taylor says city lawns can provide
an early warning of seriously dry conditions. He says when lawns go dry, there's
another week or two on the fields.
Taylor says ten days is the rule. If rain falls within that ten-day period, problems
can be avoided. Yards in central Iowa already are turning brown.
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