This drought carried over from July when record setting heat and dryness brought increasingly worse drought conditions to the region into and beyond August.  Rainfall which was already deficient for the season going into July, continued much below normal in July.  Although rainfall in August was spotty over southwest Iowa, many locations saw 3 to over 6 inches which helped keep the drought from intensifying too much.  High temperatures consistently rose above 95 degrees during the first and last weeks of August with some sites recording a few days above 100.  The middle part of the month saw temperatures dip well below normal, thus many average temperatures for August ended up close to normal.  The persistent hot and dry weather kept many rivers at very low flows and also caused some local wells to become dry or go to very low flow rates.  The low river levels and irrigation pressure from underground water sources also caused some municipalities to institute voluntary or mandatory water restrictions.  According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, drought intensities in southwest Iowa started August in the Severe category and finished the month mostly in the Extreme category.   The exception was far southwest Iowa which remained in the Severe category due to some of the heavier rain totals observed there.  The drought in Iowa and surrounding states caused some crop prices, especially corn and soybeans, to reach record or near record levels in July with high prices continuing into August.   According to the USDA, a little over 50 percent of the corn crop and 36 percent of the soybean crop was considered poor or very poor in Iowa by the end of August.  The drought continued into September.

Drought in HARRISON, IOWA
From 01-AUG-12 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in SHELBY, IOWA
From 01-AUG-12 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in MONTGOMERY, IOWA
From 01-AUG-12 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought conditions caused the county to continue a burn ban which started in mid July and carried over into September.

Drought in MILLS, IOWA
From 01-AUG-12 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought conditions caused the county to continue a burn ban which started in mid July and carried over into September.

Drought in POTTAWATTAMIE, IOWA
From 01-AUG-12 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought conditions caused the county to continue a burn ban which started in mid July and carried over into September.

Drought in PAGE, IOWA
From 01-AUG-12 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought conditions caused the county to continue a burn ban which started in mid July and carried over into September.

Drought in FREMONT, IOWA
From 01-AUG-12 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought conditions caused the county to continue a burn ban which started in mid July and carried over into September.

Drought in MONONA, IOWA
From 01-AUG-12 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor