Weekly Iowa Weather Summary, October 28, 2018

Unseasonably cool and dry conditions continued across Iowa during October’s last full week. Temperatures were generally near normal in western Iowa and up to four degrees cooler than normal in eastern Iowa. Statewide precipitation deficits were largest in southeastern Iowa. Average rainfall was around 0.12 inch; the normal for the week is 0.56 inch.

A warm Monday began the week with highs averaging between the mid-60 and lower 70s. A cold front dropped through Iowa on Tuesday bringing cooler temperatures and pleasant conditions. Highs were generally in the 50s with overnight lows dropping into the upper 20s and lower 30s.

Spotty rain showers moved into extreme western Iowa late Wednesday with measurable rainfall between 0.10 and 0.25 inch. Light rain lingered into Thursday with highest two-day totals confined to Iowa’s western third ranging between 0.05 and 0.50 inch. Friday into Saturday was generally dry, though a weak warm front ahead of a surface low over Minnesota produced isolated showers in eastern Iowa. Highs were in the upper 60s with cloud cover keeping temperatures cooler in the northeast.

As the low propagated east, a cold front moved through early Sunday bringing light rainfall to the northeastern two-thirds of Iowa. Behind the front clear to mostly sunny conditions prevailed with very gusty winds across Iowa’s eastern half. Under clear skies, overnight lows dropped into the upper 20s.

The week’s high temperature of 73 degrees was reported in De Soto (Harrison County) on Friday, around 13 degrees above average. Elkader (Clayton County) and Stanley (Buchannan County) observed the week’s overnight low temperature of 19 degrees on the 22 nd , 16 degrees below normal. The highest weekly total rainfall accumulation of 0.62 inch was observed in Shenandoah (Page County).

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