It’s pretty rare Iowans get to run around in sweatshirts or light jackets in December, but unseasonably warm weather settled on the state late this week.
Meteorologist Rod Donavon, at the National Weather Service, says Lamoni had the state’s hot spot with a record high temperature of 62 degrees on Thursday, one of many.
“We did have several record highs, including Waterloo at 57, Mason City at 55, Ottumwa at 61,” Donavon says. “In addition, we had basically this entire area was in the upper 50s to low 60s, so a very mild day and well above normal.”
Today’s forecast calls for cooler weather than yesterday, but still very comfortable for this time of year.
“We are having a few more clouds passing across the state today,” Donavon says, “so it’s still going to be pretty mild high temperatures in the 50s, which is still within that 10- to 15-degree above-normal range.”
Much colder weather will move in tonight and overnight, bringing the chance of scattered rain or light snow across various parts of the state on Saturday. Highs for the weekend will be back around normal, in the 30s and 40s.
(By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)