A rainy spring in South Central Iowa has continued to bring more drought relief locally in the latest weekly update.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor Report, Warren County has seen a significant reduction in the estimated population affected by severe drought since April 16th. A month ago, nearly all of Warren County was under severe drought conditions. In the latest report, severe drought is no longer present in Warren County, with a majority of the area dropping into abnormally dry conditions, the lowest rating on the national scale. Marion County also saw significant relief in the latest report, as the estimated population affected by severe drought decreased from just over 60% to just over 13%. The majority of Marion County remains in moderate drought, with the southern portions of the county dropping down to abnormally dry conditions. 

According to the National Weather Service, slight chances for rain return to the forecast this weekend and into the middle of next week.