La Nina weather conditions are expected to ease in the first quarter of 2023, possibly bringing a more active weather pattern to Iowa with better chances for much-needed precipitation that would mitigate drought conditions dominating the Midwest for the past three years.

Iowa’s State Climatologist Justin Glisan said forecast models are pointing to a softening of La Nina conditions, which are now in their third year, but it won’t be a quick fix.

“The longer-term climate models and numerical models are suggesting a potential for wetter conditions,” Glisan said during the final 2022 North Central U.S. Climate and Drought Outlook program last week.  “This won’t be a snap of the finger or a flip of the...