A new drought monitor map released Thursday morning shows that 58 percent of Iowa – more than the entire eastern half of the state – is now covered by severe drought conditions.

Western Iowa has also been bumped to moderate drought status, up from its previous status of dry conditions.

Federal weather forecasters said Thursday that the unusually hot, dry weather will not let up any time soon.

“It’s really unpleasant,” said drought specialist Kelly Helm Smith at the National Drought Mitigation Center in Nebraska to the Associated Press. She said relief “is not on the radar that I’m aware of.”

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