Weekly Iowa Weather Summary, August 5, 2018

The weekly Iowa Weather summary has been released by Dr. Justin Glisan, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship for the week ending Sunday August 5, 2018.

Much of Iowa had below average temperatures and precipitation for the reporting period. Monday and Tuesday were unsettled, with widely scattered thunderstorms, especially Monday afternoon and evening.

Cresco (Howard County) and Greenfield (Adair County) received rainfall of 1.10 inches and 1.04 inches, respectively. On Wednesday a cold front worked its way from the northwest to southeast, producing severe thunderstorms across central Iowa. There were multiple reports of one inch diameter hail from Otho (Webster County) to Boone (Boone County). Local rainfall accumulations ranged from 0.61 inches in Ames (Story County) to 0.53 inches in Dubuque County.

Statewide average highs were generally in the lower 80s, between two to five degrees below average north to south. Another cold front crossed the state on Thursday, bringing spotty thundershowers to parts of Iowa, though very little in measurable precipitation. On Friday a warm front lifted over the state, bringing warmer temperatures; highs ranged from the mid-70s to low 80s in the north and mid-80s in the southern third.

During the early morning hours of Saturday, an organized storm system moved into western Iowa, bringing rainfall to many stations; Sioux Center (Sioux County) reported 2.02 inches, the week’s highest accumulation. Severe weather returned on Sunday as a surface front brought multiple rounds of thunderstorms along Highway 20.

There were reports of hail and high winds from Webster City (Hamilton County) to Dubuque (Dubuque County). Measureable rainfall was reported at many stations across the state’s northern half, with Sheldon (O’Brien County) reporting 2.00 inches, 1.88 inches above normal. Friday through Sunday, temperatures were near normal in the north and above average, by around three degrees, in the south. Lamoni (Decatur County) observed the week’s high temperature of 98 degrees, 13 degrees above normal.

Source;   Dr. Justin Glisan, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship