State Climatologist Justin Glisan.
State climatologist Justin Glisan says although October ended with an extended period of dry weather, Iowa received a statewide average of 4.6-inches of rain. That’s just over two-inches above normal for the month.
“It’s looking like this will be the seventh wettest October on record,” Glisan said. The wet weather in October followed Iowa’s third-wettest September. Sections of northeast Iowa received the most rain last month, around 4-6 inches above-normal.
“The preliminary estimates have a little section in Clayton County that had eight inches of rainfall above normal,” Glisan said. Some Iowans saw snow fly in October. Areas of western Iowa received roughly 2-6 inches of snow on the 14th. The statewide average high temperature for October was 59-degrees, while the average overnight low was 38.
“October’s high temperature was 93 degrees, in DeSoto on October 2nd,” Glisan said. The coldest temperature last month, 19-degrees, was recorded in a couple cities in northeast Iowa.
“The lowest temperatures were on the 22nd and they occurred in Elkader and Stanley,” Glisan said. The outlook for November, according to Glisan, calls for below average temperatures and above normal precipitation.