Weekly Iowa Weather Update, Week Ending May 15, 2016

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Wet and slightly warmer than normal weather prevailed across Iowa from Sunday (8th) through Wednesday (11th). Rain was widespread on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday with about one-half of the week’s total falling on Tuesday. Much cooler weather dominated for the remainder of the reporting week with rain falling over all but far southwest Iowa on Friday (13th). Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday (15th) were dry. A light freeze was reported over parts of northwest Iowa on Saturday (14th) morning with a 30 degree temperature at Sheldon. Freezing weather was more widespread on Sunday (15th) morning, especially across the northeast where Cresco, Decorah and Elkader all reported 27 degree minimums. Tuesday and Wednesday were the warmest days with high temperatures of 79 degrees recorded at Lamoni and Osceola on Tuesday and at Burlington on Wednesday. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged from two degrees below normal southwest to four to six degrees subnormal over the north.

Heaviest rains, for the third time in the past four weeks, fell across the west one-third of the state, although there were smaller areas of heavy rain elsewhere (especially east central). Weekly rain totals were above normal over the west one-third of the state, and parts of east central and southeast Iowa. Weekly rain totals varied from 0.31 inches at Eldora to 4.55 inches at Shenandoah. The statewide average precipitation was 1.45 inches while normal for the week is 1.03 inches. Soil temperatures at the four inch depth were averaging in the low fifties north and middle and upper fifties south as of Sunday (15th).

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Source: Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

Categories: Ag News, Articles, North East Iowa News