Weekly Iowa Weather Update, Week ending May 13, 2018

Iowa saw a strong gradient from north to south in both temperature and precipitation during the week.

In the northern third of the state, temperatures were near normal while precipitation was two to three times normal. In the southern two-thirds, temperatures were above normal, up to 5 to 7 degrees near the Missouri border, with precipitation ranging from near normal to well below normal, some parts of central Iowa had less than 25 percent of normal for the week.

Precipitation totals for the 7-day period ranged from less than 0.10 inches in some central Iowa locations to more than 2.50 inches in northern locations. Lake Park reported 3.13 inches, the highest total for the week. More than a dozen stations across northern Iowa had 4 or 5 days with at least 0.10 inches of precipitation.

Severe weather was limited to a 1.75 inch diameter hail report from Dickinson County on the 8th and a couple 1.00 inch hail reports on each of the 8th, 11th, and 13th along with a single high wind report on the 13th.

Temperatures remained above 40 degrees with just a few exceptions. The coldest reading came from the northeast part of the state, 38 degrees at Cresco on the 12th. Nearly all stations across the state reached the 80s during the week with the warmest reading of 87 degrees on the 9th at two locations, Clarinda and Shenandoah.

Soil temperatures remained in the 50s and 60s throughout the week. Moderate drought continued for less than 15 percent of the state, located along the southern border, with about 40 percent of the state either in drought or considered abnormally dry.

Source;  Michael Timlin, Regional Climatologist, Midwestern Regional Climate Center