||A persistent ridge of high pressure across the region produced warmer than normal temperatures and below normal rainfall during the month of July. Mean temperatures for the month were 4 to 7 degrees above normal. Rainfall for the month totaled only around an inch or less which was about 3 to 5 inches below normal. This caused the drought that began in June to worsen and expand across eastern Iowa, northwest and western Illinois and extreme northeast Missouri. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, extreme northeast Missouri was in a D2 severe drought on July 3, 2012. By the 10th of July, the severe drought category also included much of eastern Iowa roughly north of Interstate 80, and northwest Illinois north of Highway 30. On July 17, the Drought Monitor classified all of eastern Iowa, northwest and western Illinois and extreme northeast Missouri as severe drought. However, due to the persistent heat and lack of rainfall the drought continued to worsen. By the last week of July, the entire region was either in a D2 severe or D3 extreme drought. Crops were showing stress due to the heat and reduced crop yields were being noted. Because the severe to extreme drought continued into August exact damage amounts to the crops are not known at this time.