The bitterly cold conditions across Iowa ended a record-setting streak in Des Moines. National Weather Service Meteorologist Kevin Skow says the temperature in the capital city on Monday morning dipped below zero for the first time in 710 days.
“The previous record was 692 days…of not falling below zero,” Skow said. A temperature of one-degree below zero was recorded at the Des Moines International Airport around 7:40 a.m. Monday. It marked the first time since February 10, 2011 that the temperature in Des Moines entered negative territory.
“The previous streak of 692 days started on February 16, 1930 and went into 1931,” Skow noted. Warmer weather is on the way,
as more seasonal temperatures will arrive later today and highs on Wednesday will climb back into the low 20s to mid 30s.
Skow says most every other Iowa city experienced below-zero temperatures at some point last winter, while Des Moines never dropped that low. Skow says Des Moines went 710 straight days without dipping below zero. The last time that happened was February 10th of 2011.