A late winter storm system last week alleviated some dryness concerns in western Iowa, but overall soil moisture conditions remain much drier going into planting season this spring compared to the past two years, according to Dennis Todey, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Midwest Climate Hub in Ames.

The system dumped more than 5 inches of snow in northeast Iowa and around 2 inches of rain in the southwest part of the state. 

“It looks like a decent amount of benefit from this system because soils were mostly thawed,” said Todey. “At this point, we...