(Area) Unseasonably dry conditions were reported in Iowa during the month of April.
This was the 2nd straight month of below average moisture says State Climatologist Justin Glisan. “Many of the state’s National Weather Service (NWS) co-op stations registered precipitation deficits on the order of an inch with pockets of two inches or more in southern and eastern Iowa. Several stations in southwestern Iowa received almost an inch of above normal precipitation. April’s preliminary statewide precipitation totaled 2.16 inches, 1.51 inches below normal.”
Periods of unseasonably warm temperatures along with cooler than normal conditions were reported. “Notably, average temperatures from April 12-15 were 15.1 degrees above normal with daytime high temperatures in the 80s and 90s across much of Iowa. Overall, temperatures for the month were near average across much of Iowa with pockets of slightly warmer temperatures as well. April’s preliminary statewide temperatures averaged 49.0 degrees or four tenths of a degree above normal.”
April’s preliminary statewide average temperature was 49 degree or .4 above normal. The average temperature in Southwest Iowa was 51 degrees which is near climatological normal. Southwest Iowa was a half inch below average in terms of rainfall at 2.8 inches. “Atlantic’s high temperature of 85 degrees occurred on the 12th while the coldest overnight low of 12 degrees occurred on the 6th and 7th. The average high was 63 degrees, which is two degrees above normal. The average low was 35 degrees, one degree colder than expected. Atlantic received 2.53 inches of precipitation, about 1.28 inches below the 30-year average.”
The highest 24-hour rainfall was between 7:00 a.m on the 19th and 7:00 a.m. on the 20th at 1.13 inches. Measurable precipitation fell on 12 days in April.
