What in the Weather?

This Day in Iowa Weather History: 1970 early season snowstorm brought 5.1 inches to Sioux City - their earliest 1+ inch accumulation on record Current Weather Forecast: Slight warm-up through the weekend with above-average temperatures Isolated chance of showers/thunderstorms overnight and late Saturday into Sunday No widespread frost expected through at least October 24th Climate Outlook: 8-14 da...

Weather History & Forecast: 1942: Early snowfall hit Iowa on this date, with up to 4 inches accumulating in some areas Coming week: Unseasonably warm and dry with sunny days, temperatures above normal Extended outlook: Strong warm signal through early October, particularly in upper Midwest Recent Weather: Past week: 8-12 degrees above average statewide First above-average rainfall period in weeks...

•  Historical Weather Moment : In 1912, Iowa experienced extreme weather swings from 104°F heat to snow flurries within just 9 days in September • Current Forecast : Unsettled weather with cut-off low pressure system bringing increased precipitation chances, potential storms with wind and small hail, but overall benign conditions • 8-14 Day Outlook : "Red bullseye" over Iowa and Minnesota indicati...

Weather Forecast & Climate Updates • Hot and dry conditions ahead with temperatures in low-mid 90s and heat index values in mid-upper 90s • 8-14 day outlook shows continued warmth into late September with slight chance for above normal precipitation • ENSO update: 71% chance of La Niña transition October-December, signaling potential warm and dry fall/winter This Week's Weather Recap • Chilly temp...

Weather History & Forecasts Iowa Weather History (1989) : Large thunderstorms brought heavy rain to western Iowa with severe weather and brief tornadoes, causing wind damage, roof damage, and trees falling on cars 7-Day Forecast : Cool autumn weather with clear skies and below-average temperatures; best rain chances on days 4-6 due to Atlantic activity and shifted Bermuda high Climate Outlook : Se...

Weather Forecast & Conditions: Cold front moving south from Minnesota will stall over Iowa, bringing rain chances Friday-Sunday Expected rainfall: up to 1-1.5 inches in northwest Iowa, less than 0.5 inches elsewhere  Cool temperatures continuing into early September (50-60% chance of below normal temps) First overnight lows in the 40s recorded this past week Historical Weather Note: August 28, 197...

What in the Weather? - August 21, 2025 Episode Summary Weather Discussion Historic perspective : August 21, 2004 saw unusually cool temps (upper 30s) in northern Iowa - opposite of current conditions Hot summer analysis : July averaged 2°F above normal with exceptional humidity (85% of days had above-average dew points) Heat index impact : Triple-digit heat index values driven more by high dew poi...

Coming in September to your favorite podcast platform: Pivot Points, a new podcast exploring the stories of farmers who have made big changes to their farms and in their lives. Follow the Pivot Points podcast to make sure you get the podcasts as soon as they are released.

Iowa's top 10 historical rainfalls • 10th Place: Sheridan (Lucas County) - 11.23 inches on August 27th, 1903 • 9th Place: Ionia (Chickasaw County) - 11.25 inches on August 9th, 2021 • 8th Place: Dumont (Butler County) - 11.28 inches on July 17th, 1968 • 7th Place: Castana Experimental Research Farm (Monona County) - 12.02 inches on July 17th, 1996 • 6th Place: Bonaparte (Van Buren County) - 12.1 i...

Main Topic: "Corn Sweat" Phenomenon Definition & Media Coverage "Corn sweat" is simply a catchy term for evapotranspiration Justin Glisan was interviewed by major news outlets (Washington Post, CNN, USA Today, CBS) The phenomenon was trending during the hottest week of July 2025 during a heat dome Scientific Reality Corn releases water vapor and oxygen through transpiration (not actually "sweating...

Historical Weather (This Day in History - 1993) Severe thunderstorms moved from Nebraska to western Iowa at 60 mph Wind gusts exceeded 70 mph, with 75 mph winds in Pottawattamie County destroying barns Council Bluffs received 2 inches of rain in 30 minutes causing urban flooding Des Moines recorded 83 mph wind gust 1993 was record wet year for Ames (20 inches of rain in July alone vs. 8 inches in...

Weather History On July 17, 1972, slow-moving morning thunderstorms dropped 5.5 inches of rain at Sioux City, setting the all-time daily rainfall record there (still standing). Other highlights: 4.63 inches at Sac City, 3.45 inches at Humboldt. Short-Term Weather Outlook Cool air has returned after a recent frontal passage, but temperatures are forecast to increase again heading into next week. Th...

Recent Iowa Weather Highlights Heavy Rainfall : Rain gauges in the Des Moines area report 1–2.2 inches; some areas in western/central Iowa received up to 6 inches in the past week. Southeast Iowa remains much drier, with some locations getting less than 0.1 inch.   Historical Context : July 11, 1993: Major flooding in Des Moines, with 250,000 residents losing water after levee breaches. 1993 marke...

Iowa Weather History: On July 3, 2001, severe thunderstorms in southern Iowa produced very large hail: 2.5-inch stones at Osceola, 3-inch at Otley, and 4-inch at Truro, causing widespread and extensive damage. Recent Severe Weather Trends: Hail has been infrequent this year, with the most recent notable event in north central/northwestern Iowa a few weeks ago. The primary severe weather mode this...

Weather History & Current Conditions Historical reference : June 26, 1993 - Severe hailstorms in western Iowa with golf ball to softball-sized hail caused extensive damage to crops, trees, cars, and buildings Recent weather : 150-400% of normal rainfall across southern Iowa with some areas receiving 3-8 inches (equivalent to a month's worth of rain) Heat wave anomaly : Unusual combination of high...

Iowa Weather History: On June 19, 1996, severe thunderstorms produced very large hail in northwest Iowa, with a 3.5-inch stone near Hinton (Plymouth County) and a 4.5-inch stone at Cushing (Woodbury County), causing $200,000 in damage to vehicles and buildings. 7-Day Weather Forecast: Iowa is entering a "blast furnace" pattern: temperatures will soar 15–20°F above average, with highs in the 90s to...

Iowa Weather History June 13, 1976: an F5 tornado near Luther, Iowa, was one of the largest in state history. The tornado, nearly a mile wide, spawned multiple satellite tornadoes and caused widespread destruction between Boone and Ames, demolishing over 60 homes and 300 farm buildings. Charles Barthold's iconic photographs of the event contributed to tornado science and earned him a Peabody Award...

Iowa Weather History On June 4, 1998, sleet and trace ice were reported in Rock Rapids, northwestern Iowa—the only official winter precipitation recorded in Iowa in June; none in July or August . 1997–1998 was a strong El Niño year, noted for heavy precipitation events . Recent and Upcoming Weather Unsettled weather with rain and severe storms in eastern Iowa over the past week. Statewide air qual...

Iowa Weather History 1906 Historical Frost : Late season statewide frost on May 28th with temperatures dropping to 30-32°F across multiple Iowa cities, though crop damage was minimal due to brief duration 2021 Comparison : Similar late freeze event occurred on May 29th with 37°F statewide average (13° below normal) Recent Frost Data : Last frost dates varied by location - Sibley (April 21st), Ames...

Weather History: In 1873, a deadly tornado tore through southeastern Iowa, affecting Keokuk, Washington, and Louisa counties before moving into Illinois. The storm produced very large hail (up to 4.5 inches in diameter), killed 8 people, and injured at least a dozen others. This event prompted the first detailed tornado damage survey in Iowa, conducted by the U.S. Army Signal Corps . 7-Day Weather...

Weather History and Forecast Historical weather event (May 15, 1968): Major tornado outbreak in Iowa with two F5 tornadoes Caused significant damage in Charles City, Oelwein, Maynard, and other areas 20 total fatalities and over 600 injuries Current forecast: Transitioning weather pattern with thunderstorms possible Potential for 2+ inches of rain across Iowa in the coming week Brief cold snap wit...

Weather Update and Forecast Current conditions feature stable, pleasant weather  A localized rain event occurred the previous night (May 7th) across central Iowa, with amounts around 0.21 inches in some areas Weather pattern is currently dictated by an "Omega block" high pressure system creating stable air Forecast shows temperatures warming into the 80s with relatively dry conditions 6-10 and 8-1...

This Day in Iowa Weather History In 1911, unseasonably cold air brought rain mixed with snow across northwestern Iowa. Most snow melted on contact, but some locations reported accumulations: 1 inch at Denison, 1.5 inches at Alta and Lamars, 2 inches at Algona, Mason City, New Hampton, Onawa, and Rockwell City, 2.5 inches at Rock Rapids, and 4 inches at Elma in Howard County. 7-Day Weather Forecast...

This Day in Iowa Weather History: In 1900, a resident of Creston was struck by lightning twice during the same storm and survived, though he was partially paralyzed, singed, and blackened by the strikes. 7-Day Weather Forecast: The coming weekend looks pleasant, but thunderstorms are expected to return Sunday night into Monday, with a potential severe weather outbreak (all modes possible, includin...

In summary: The episode covers current severe storm risk, a warm/wet outlook, lingering (but mostly localized) frost potential, and advice for growers on weather impacts, pest and seedling management, and fieldwork timing. There's a focus on using sound data (not just forecasts) for planting decisions, and corrections on frost hardiness for strawberry crops. Weather Recap & Outlook The hosts recal...