Iowa
Rain brings second week of relief in Iowa drought monitor map
How much rain does Des Moines get? See the 5 wettest days on record
Wondering how the rainfall total compares? Here are the five wettest days on record for Des Moines, Iowa.
Drought conditions in Iowa improved for a second consecutive week, though areas of moderate drought expanded in parts of the state.
The U.S. Drought Monitor offers a state-by-state tracking of drought conditions nationwide. New maps and forecasts are released each Thursday. What are the current drought conditions in Iowa?
U.S. Drought Monitor map: How much of Iowa is in a drought?
The latest Drought Monitor report, released on Thursday, June 18, showed about 46% of Iowa experiencing some form of drought. This continues the streak of conditions improving week to week in Iowa. The previous report, released on June 11, showed that 63% of the state was experiencing some form of drought.
The most recent report reflects conditions as of 8 a.m. June 16, right as storms were sweeping through Iowa, with parts of eastern Iowa seeing more than 2 inches of rainfall. Light rainfall on June 17 led to areas like Iowa City and Burlington reporting around an inch of rain.
Here is the breakdown of current drought conditions in Iowa:
- 61% of the state of Iowa is experiencing no drought conditions
- 39% of Iowa is experiencing abnormally dry conditions
- 7% of Iowa is experiencing moderate drought conditions
- 0% of Iowa is experiencing severe drought conditions
Even though drought conditions have improved overall in Iowa, the area experiencing moderate drought increased from the week of June 11, particularly in northern Iowa. Much of Cerro Gordo, Hancock and Kossuth counties are under D1 conditions, with nearby Palo Alto, Winnebago, Floyd and Mitchell also in moderate drought.
Pockets of moderate drought also persist along the northwest edge of Iowa in Lyon, Sioux and Plymouth counties. In eastern Iowa, Jackson, Clinton and Scott counties saw their moderate drought status ease week to week.
Most of the U.S. is facing drought conditions
About 73% of the U.S. is experiencing some level of drought, a 2-percentage-point improvement from the prior week. Some of the most intense drought conditions are in the southeast and the mountain west.
Iowa Drought Monitor tracks conditions weekly
The U.S. Drought Monitor offers a state-by-state tracking of drought conditions nationwide. New maps and forecasts are released each Thursday.
The intensity levels range from abnormally dry, or D0, to exceptional drought, or D4.
Typically with D0 conditions, corn can show drought stress. Pond levels start to decline under moderate drought conditions and soybeans abort pods, according to the Drought Monitor. The Drought Monitor also has a look-back chart that compares drought conditions from 3 months ago up to 1 year ago.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
CORALVILLE, Iowa (KCRG) – Coralville Police say a person has drowned at the Coralville Aquatic Center Tuesday afternoon.
The call went out shortly after 4 p.m. to 1513 7th Street for a drowning report.
Officers, lifeguards and paramedics gave lifesaving aid to the person. They were taken to the University of Iowa Health Care, where they were pronounced dead.
The identity of the victim has not been released. The incident is under investigation.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
Iowa
Iowa City Man who ran over people in homeless encampment sentenced to nearly two decades in prison
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – An Iowa City man who pleaded guilty to driving into five people at a homeless encampment last August has been sentenced to serve nearly two decades in prison.
On August 15, 2025, Roman Aguilar Ventura drove his vehicle while under the influence through an encampment near Shelter House, an organization that assists homeless people.
Ventura pleaded guilty to several charges in March, including Operating While Under the Influence, two counts of Willful Injury Resulting in Bodily Injury, and three counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. He also pleaded guilty to Driving While Barred and Driving While License Denied or Revoked.
In addition to his sentence, Ventura will also be subject to a six-year suspension of his drivers license, in addition to substance abuse treatment.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers on transition so far to Ames
Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers on transition so far to Ames and how it compares to the transitional offseason between SDSU and Washington St.
For the second straight year, the Big 12 Conference did not release preseason football rankings for the upcoming season, but that didn’t stop the USA TODAY Sports Network from making its own predicted order of finish for the 2026 season as well as a preseason All-Big 12 team.
Sports writers who cover the Big 12 throughout the network voted on the predicted order of finish for all 16 teams.
Iowa State lost the winningest coach in program history, Matt Campbell, and had a massive roster rebuild after finishing 8-4 last season. With a team loaded with more than 60 newcomers and a coach who is new to the power-conference level in Jimmy Rogers, the Cyclones were tabbed to finish in last place in the USA TODAY Sports’ preseason Big 12 rankings.
Texas Tech, which won its first Big 12 title in school history last season and reached the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff, is projected to repeat and finish on top. BYU, which lost to the Red Raiders in the Big 12 championship game last season, is predicted to finish in second place. Utah, Houston and Arizona round out the top five of the USA TODAY Sports Network’s preseason Big 12 prediction.
For the USA TODAY Sports Network preseason All-Big 12 team, the Cyclones didn’t have any players selected, but they did have a few honorable mentions.
Running back Aiden Flora, kicker Kyle Konrardy and defensive end Isaac Terrell were chosen as honorable mentions for the USA TODAY Sports Network preseason All-Big 12 team.
Flora and Konrardy are returning All-Big 12 selections. Flora was an all-conference second-team returner last season, and Konrardy was named All-Big 12 honorable mention.
Terrell is one of the Cyclones’ promising newcomers. He was named the Pac-12 Defensive Line Top Performer of the Year and had a team-high seven sacks at Washington State last season.
2026 USA TODAY Sports Network Big 12 football preseason predicted order of finish
- Texas Tech
- BYU
- Utah
- Houston
- Arizona
- TCU
- Kansas State
- Arizona State
- Oklahoma State
- Baylor
- UCF
- Kansas
- Cincinnati
- West Virginia
- Colorado
- Iowa State
2026 USA TODAY Sports Network Preseason All-Big 12 award winners
Offensive Player of the Year: L.J. Martin, RB, BYU
(Also receiving votes: Noah Fifita, QB, Arizona; Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State; Amare Thomas, WR, Houston)
Defensive Player of the Year: Ben Roberts, LB, Texas Tech
(Also receiving votes: A.J. Holmes, DL, Texas Tech; Brice Pollock, DB, Texas Tech; Austin Romaine, LB, Texas Tech)
Newcomer of the Year: Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State
(Also receiving votes: Caleb Hawkins, RB, Oklahoma State; Cam Cook, RB, West Virginia; Adam Trick, DL, Texas Tech)
2026 USA TODAY Sports Network Preseason All-Big 12 football team
Offense:
- QB: Noah Fifita, Arizona
- RB: L.J. Martin, BYU
- RB: Caleb Hawkins, Oklahoma State
- WR: Amare Thomas, Houston
- WR: Omarion Miller, Arizona State
- WR: Wyatt Young, Oklahoma State
- TE: Terrance Carter Jr., Texas Tech
- OL: Evan Tengesdahl, Cincinnati
- OL: Bruce Mitchell, BYU
- OL: Shadre Hurst, Houston
- OL: John Pastore, Kansas State
- OL: Howard Sampson, Texas Tech
Defense:
- DL: A.J. Holmes, Texas Tech
- DL: Wendell Gregory, Kansas State
- DL: Adam Trick, Texas Tech
- DL: Mateen Ibirogba, Texas Tech
- LB: Ben Roberts, Texas Tech
- LB: Austin Romaine, Texas Tech
- LB: Cade Uluave, BYU
- DB: Brice Pollock, Texas Tech
- DB: Faletau Satuala, BYU
- DB: Jamel Johnson, TCU
- DB: Will James, Houston
Special teams:
- K: Stone Harrington, Texas Tech
- P: Palmer Williams, Baylor
- KR/PR: J’Koby Williams, Texas Tech
Honorable mentions:
- Arizona: DB Jay’vion Cole; LB Taye Brown
- Arizona State: WR Reed Harris, DL CJ Fite
- BYU: QB Bear Bachmeier, DL Keanu Tanuvasa, LB Isaiah Glasker, DB Evan Johnson
- Cincinnati: OL Joe Cotton, OL Taran Tyo, DB MJ Cannon, P Max Fletcher, K Stephen Rusnak
- Colorado: WR Danny Scudero, LB Gideon ESPN Lampron, KR Quentin Gibson
- Houston: OL Drew Terrill
- Iowa State: DL Isaac Terrell, K Kyle Konrady, KR Aiden Flora
- Kansas: DL Leroy Harris III, LB Trey Lathan, KR Dylan Edwards
- Kansas State: TE Garrett Oakley
- Oklahoma State: QB Drew Mestemaker, LB Ethan Wesloski
- TCU: WR Jordan Dwyer, OL Ben Taylor-Whitfield, P John Hoyet Chance
- Texas Tech: RB Cameron Dickey, WR Coy Eakin, WR Malcolm Simmons, OL Sheridan Wilson, DB Brenden Jordan, DL Trey White
- Utah: RB Wayshawn Parker, DB Jackson Bennee, KR Mana Carvalho
- West Virginia: RB Cam Cook, P Bryan Hansen
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
-
Los Angeles, Ca4 minutes agoWaymo video could determine charges after teens’ bizarre California ride
-
Detroit, MI22 minutes ago
DPD investigating after human remains found in home on Detroit’s west side
-
San Francisco, CA37 minutes agoBay Area Teen Waymo Riders Nabbed For Allegedly Shooting Projectiles From Robotaxi
-
Dallas, TX42 minutes ago
Role Call: Tyrus Wheat looking to make most of second stint with Cowboys
-
Miami, FL49 minutes ago2026 Miami Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 8: North Carolina
-
Boston, MA52 minutes agoBoston sues social media companies over ‘addictive’ features, joining nationwide litigation
-
Denver, CO57 minutes agoPeyton Watson landing spots: Could Nuggets star actually leave Denver?
-
Seattle, WA1 hour ago14-year-old dies in Seattle e-bike crash at Colonnade Park after losing control on steep stairs – MyNorthwest.com
