The latest Drought Monitor was released yesterday and Marion County has shown no official improvement over the past week. Jasper, Marion, and Mahaska counties, along with approximately 35% of the state continue to suffer severe drought conditions. The state is blotched with 41% of it’s land in the moderate drought distinction, while 16% is abnormally dry. New this week is just under 2% of the state suffering extreme conditions, however, recent rains have moved over 5% of northeast Iowa out of any drought conditions at all.