Iowa Summer Weather Review

Temperatures:

Temperatures have remained warmer than normal for much of the spring into the first half of the summer.  The warm temperatures have been interrupted from time to time by cooler periods, especially in May when monthly temperatures averaged just below normal, but for the most part readings have remained warmer than normal.  The warmest readings have been across western Iowa with a couple periods of intense heat during June and July with heat index values going above 110 degrees during the third week of July.

Spring and early Summer temperature departure in Iowa – warmer than normal.

Precipitation:

Since the beginning of March, precipitation has been most robust and reliable along the Minnesota border into east central Iowa as well as the far southwest corner of the state.  Much of the remainder of Iowa has seen at or below normal rainfall, especially in central into south central and southeast Iowa.  The month of June was particularly dry in these locations with some areas remaining below one inch of precipitation or only about a quarter of normal.  Recent storms across much of Iowa in July have helped to alleviate the incipient drought conditions in the state, although much of the rain was quickly used by maturing crops.  The map shows the percentage of normal precipitation from the March through July time frame.

Summer rainfall departures – Wet on the edges, dry central and southeast.

Blog post by Craig Cogil, Senior Forecaster, NWS Des Moines