(Area) The first month of 2021 was unseasonably warm across Iowa with the preliminary statewide average temperature right around 27 degrees, about four degrees above normal.
Precipitation-wise, much of the state observed wetter than normal conditions. The preliminary statewide precipitation was up according to State Climatologist Justin Glisan. “So the melted snow and sleet plus rain averaged around 1.30”, while the climatological normal is 0.92 inch. Snowfall was also widespread across the state, with a band of above normal accumulations from Council Bluffs to Dubuque, where some totals were 8 to 12 inches above average. January’s statewide preliminary average was around 8 inches, which is more than an inch above average.”
Southwest Iowa reported an average temperature of 26.6 degrees, which is 4.6 degrees above normal. Much of southwestern Iowa saw wetter than normal conditions; the preliminary average precipitation equaled 1.32 inches, which is fifty-one-hundredths of an inch above normal.
Atlantic’s high temperature of 48 degrees occurred on the 20th while the coldest overnight low of -8 degrees occurred on the 28th. Glisan says, “The average high was 33 degrees, two degrees warmer than normal. The average low was 15 degrees, three degrees above normal. Atlantic received 1.30 inches of precipitation, including 16.8 inches of snow. This is almost a half of an inch above the normal for the monthly liquid-equivalent total and 12.1 inches above average in terms of snow.”
The highest 24-hour snowfall of 10.4 inches was reported on January 26th for the previous 24 hour period ending at 7:00 am. Measurable precipitation fell on eight days during the month.
