A cool and rainy weekend is forecast across the state. National Weather Service Meteorologist Alex Krull says the first frost of the season will likely arrive overnight.
“We currently are looking at temperatures to get very close to 31 or 30 degrees in parts of northern and eastern Iowa,” Krull says. A frost advisory is posted for an area that includes Algona, Fort Dodge, Mason City, Waterloo, Decorah, Dubuque, and Cedar Rapids.
The advisory is in effect from 3 to 8 a.m. Saturday. Krull says sensitive outdoor plants could wilt or die if left unprotected. In addition to a warm jacket or blanket, Iowans spending time outdoors may want to keep an umbrella handy this weekend. Light on-and-off showers will continue to move through the state today and tomorrow.
“Heading into Sunday and Monday, the rain showers will become more widespread,” Krull says. It’s unlikely, however, there will be any extreme downpours like the heavy rains that led to flooding earlier this month.
“Perhaps when we come into later on Sunday into Monday, we could be looking at rainfall rates that are a little bit heavier, probably anywhere between a-half-inch to one-inch of rain expected with that,” Krull said.
High temperatures statewide will likely remain in the 50s statewide, while Sunday should be slightly warmer. By Monday, temperatures are expected to climb into the upper 50s in northern Iowa and into the 70s across southern Iowa.