A heat advisory is posted for 11 counties in northwest Iowa and eight more counties in northeast Iowa, as high temperatures are expected to reach the mid to upper-90s this afternoon. Forecasters say the heat indices in those upper corners of the state may hit 105 degrees. Meteorologist Rod Donovan, at the National Weather Service, says the heat wave will stick around for all of Iowa.
“Certainly we’re going to be quite warm for the next couple of days,” Donovan says. “We will have highs commonly in the low to mid-90s and heat index values approaching 100 degrees. We do have a cool front which will be pushing into the state Tuesday night into Wednesday.
That could bring a little bit of relief.”
He says the slight cool-down won’t last long, though it may bring some much-needed moisture. “That boundary in the area through Wednesday could bring a few scattered thunderstorms and then it will be lifting back north by Thursday,” Donovan says.
“We’ll be seeing highs back into the low to mid-90s at least into next weekend.” Next weekend also marks the beginning of the 40th annual weeklong RAGBRAI bicycle ride across the state.
By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City