IOWA — The state of Iowa began the year with nearly all of the state in some stage of drought. An wet early Spring erased that drought completely … but now it has returned for nearly all of Iowa again after months of sparse showers.

According to the numbers release by the USDA on Thursday, 97.54% of Iowa is in drought – unchanged from last week. However, nearly 16% of the state is now in Severe Drought – the third of five stages of drought. Three months ago that number was zero.

An estimated 2.2 million Iowans are living in drought conditions currently.