State climatologist Justin Glisan confirms September is at the top of the record list after recording just seven-tenths of an inch of precipitation.
“If you look at the average that we expect — about three-and-a-half inches — well below average. Preliminarily, this is the driest September in 152 years of records for the state,” Glisan says. He says it was a warm one as well. “About three degrees above the average, which is right around 63 degrees so particularly warm across the upper Midwest,” he says.
Glisan says the early outlook for October doesn’t show much change from September. “We typically expect about 2.7 inches of rainfall across the state of Iowa, even some snowfall potential. But if you look at those outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center in the near term through the middle of October, a very high, elevated signal for warm and dry conditions,” Glisan says.
He says it doesn’t look like we will make up the lost precipitation from September anytime soon. “Not a good signal to see in terms of the abnormal dryness and drought that’s starting to reignite across the state, but good for the harvest window and getting combines out there,” “We do want to remind our farmers and producers, given these warm and dry conditions that we’re seeing, along with wind field, fires can start and can rapidly expand, so be careful out there.”
The State Fire Marshal’s website shows burn bans in 16 counties due to the dry conditions.
(By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)