How are normal high and low temperatures, and average precipitation numbers calculated, and how far back does the data go? Find out with Curious Iowa — a series from The Gazette that answers readers’ questions about the state and how it works.
Another round of snow — this one expected to start Thursday afternoon into the evening — could make for a difficult evening commute in Eastern Iowa.
The first winter storm of the season, which arrived in Eastern Iowa Friday night, is dumping heavy accumulating snow across the state Saturday, and will continue into Sunday morning with strong winds and snowfall totals of 8 to 12 inches.
“This is likely to be one of the biggest snow producing storms in a long time for many areas, as well as being a huge event to start the winter season.”
The expected cold spell won't last, though, as warmer temperatures are forecast for much of the central U.S. starting Wednesday.
The Iowa State Patrol, National Weather Service and the Iowa Department of Transportation said in a webinar on Monday that Iowans should start preparing for winter weather and poor driving conditions even before snow hits the ground.
Iowans should get their shovels ready and prepare to bundle up this winter as experts are predicting that parts of the state will see a wetter winter season than normal.
Justin Glisan, the Iowa state climatologist since 2018, said Friday that he is preparing to help National Weather Service employees by taking some of their climate work if the federal government shuts down next week.
Meteorologists with the National Weather Service are warning Eastern Iowans that triple-digit heat indexes are coming this weekend.
More than 70 million Americans sweated through the muggiest first two months of summer on record as climate change has noticeably dialed up the Eastern United States' humidity in recent decades, an Associated Press data analysis shows.
Five years ago, destructive prolonged wind gusts of up to 140 mph blew through Iowa, felling trees, flattening crops, ripping down power lines and tearing away building walls and roofs. It was the most costly thunderstorm in U.S. history. Derechos aren’t uncommon. What made this one so destructive? And how are derecho forecasts improving?
Several rounds of expected storms beginning Saturday evening through Monday morning are expected to drop widespread 3 to 5 inch rain totals, The National Weather Service predicts.
The National Weather Service is warning Iowans of “dangerously hot and humid conditions” coming to the region this week, forecasting the heat index could reach 110 degrees Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
At least nine tornadoes touched down in Iowa last week — including three in Linn County.
Iowa has recorded just seven confirmed tornadoes in the first six months of 2025, partly due to jet streams from the Gulf hitting neighboring states.
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