Iowans are hoping for a brighter November, as sunny days were few and far between in October. State climatologist Harry Hillaker says it was a close to being the soggiest ever. Hillaker says it will probably be the second wettest Octobers in history, with wettest coming over 100 years ago back in 1881. Hillaker says some areas had 20 straight days of rain, which he says it unusual for October.
Hillaker says it will probably end up as an average rainfall of six and one-quarter inches statewide, which is about double the average of just over two and a half inches. The record amount is 6.42 inches set in 1881. The cloudy rainy days also kept things from heating up.
Hillaker says October was on a record cool pace the first half of the month and then things were more normal. Overall it will end up as the third coldest month on record. Hillaker says 1925 and 1917 were the coldest October on record. Hillaker says the early forecast for November looks to be drier and with temperatures more toward normal than October.