Weather

This is the first year that exceptional drought has been recorded in Eastern Iowa.

A look at Iowa’s most extreme weather and how records are determined and recorded.

The twister was short-lived and produced no known damage or injuries

In a changing climate, when extreme heat spells may come more frequently, no air conditioning could be problematic.

Listen to The Gazette’s daily news briefing and weather report

The Gazette spoke with a National Weather Service meteorologist about recent hot spells and the potential for more.

Almost 84 percent of the county is experiencing extreme drought — the second-highest drought intensity, according to this week’s U.S. Drought Monitor update.

As a whole, the state is drier than it’s been in more than a month. Iowa averaged less than a third of its normal rainfall last week, and high temperatures have hovered above 90 degrees since last weekend.

Iowa’s public universities are back in session, with students kicking off the fall semester this week under sweltering heat — making the start especially uncomfortable for some of the tens of thousands who moved into residence hall rooms without air conditioning.

In 1936, temperatures topped 100 degrees 19 times.

Iowa faces dangerous weather conditions, strained power grid and event cancellations. Ambient air temperature in Cedar Rapids is expected to reach 101 degrees Wednesday and Thursday. It would be the first time in 10 years that Cedar Rapids has hit 100 degrees.

The National Weather Service has forecast near record to record late summer heat and humidity this week. Temperatures are expected to exceed 100 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday with heat index values predicted to reach 105 to 115 degrees.