Drought — Iron, Wisconsin

2023-07-18 to 2023-07-31 · Iron, Wisconsin

Event narrative

July began with D0 Abnormally Dry and D1 Moderate Drought conditions across the county. D1 Moderate Drought spread across the entire county with the update on the 11th before D2 Severe Drought was added across the northern portion of the county on the 18th. There was a very slight increase in the area of D2 Severe Drought with the update on the 25th as rainfall deficits of 1 to 3 inches for the month led to worsening conditions.

Wider weather episode

Drought conditions rapidly worsened across the Northland during the month of July. After record snowfall in many areas over the winter, dry conditions took hold for the spring into the summer with rainfall deficits of 1 to 3 inches for the month across much of northwestern Wisconsin, although there was an area of slightly above normal rainfall from eastern Bayfield County into southern Ashland, northeastern Sawyer and far northern Price counties. D1 Moderate Drought quickly took hold across the area during the beginning of the month with D2 Severe Drought spreading across much of the region as the month progressed. An area of D3 Extreme Drought was introduced during the middle of the month from northern Douglas County into northern Bayfield County as the sandy soils continued to dry out. Area creeks and rivers dropped to low flow levels and crops began to suffer across much of the region.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1125804. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.