With just two days left in the month, the number of April showers that’ve fallen in Iowa are below normal.State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says April rainfall will end up about one-half to two-thirds below normal. Hillaker says, though, not all of the state is hurting for rain. He says eastern Iowa got a lot of rainfall and has almost replenished the soil moisture there.He says there’s still time for dry areas to catch up yet this spring as May tends to average a little more rain than April. Hillaker says the warmer May temperatures tend to make the rain evaporate faster.Hillaker says temperatures in April will end up right at the average, which is a change in the recent trend.Iowa’s seen above normal temperatures every month all the way back to November of last year. Hillaker says there has been enough warmth to get Iowa’s soil ready for planting.Hillaker says the date has past for the last frost, but he wouldn’t advise gardeners to set out their tomato plants just yet.
