6/4/25 - Meteorological Spring Recap 2025

• Iowa Weather History

  • On June 4, 1998, sleet and trace ice were reported in Rock Rapids, northwestern Iowa—the only official winter precipitation recorded in Iowa in June; none in July or August.

  • 1997–1998 was a strong El Niño year, noted for heavy precipitation events.

• Recent and Upcoming Weather

  • Unsettled weather with rain and severe storms in eastern Iowa over the past week.

  • Statewide air quality alert due to wildfire smoke from Canada, reducing solar radiation and lowering temperatures by 1–2°F.

  • Transitioning to a warmer, drier pattern with scattered rain chances.

  • Three- to four-week outlook: warmer than normal, but precipitation outlook is uncertain (equal chances of above, below, or normal rainfall).

  • 8–14 day hazards outlook: slight risk of high temperatures (June 12–17) and heavy precipitation (June 11–14).

• Storm and Precipitation Recap

  • Severe weather affected Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and southeast Iowa.

  • Tornado reported in Kansas City; unconfirmed tornado in Fort Madison, Iowa, possibly derailing a train.

  • Widespread rainfall: up to 2 inches in southeast Iowa, 2–2.5 inches in north-central and northwest Iowa, at least a trace in central Iowa.

  • 80% of Iowa received at least half an inch of rain.

• Temperature Trends

  • Last week: statewide average temperature 2.4°F below normal.

  • Earlier in May: above normal temperatures, then a cool period.

• Meteorological Spring Recap (March–May)

  • Precipitation:

    • North-central Iowa: 114% of normal (1.4 inches above average).

    • Southwest Iowa: 66% of normal (3.5 inches below average).

    • Statewide: 92% of normal (about 1 inch below average).

    • South-central and southwest Iowa: 5–6 inches below average, with ongoing drought.

  • Temperature:

    • Central to eastern and southern Iowa: top 20 warmest springs on record (since 1895), 1.5–2.4°F above normal.

    • Statewide: 1.7°F above average.

  • Severe Weather:

    • March: 1 tornado (average is 2).

    • April: 10 tornadoes (average is 6).

    • May: 0 tornadoes (first time since 2010 with no May tornadoes).

    • 2024 had 59 tornadoes in April and 47 in May—much more active than 2025.

  • Daytime vs. Nighttime Warming:

    • March: daytime highs 9.5°F above average, overnight lows 3.1°F above average.

    • April: daytime highs 1.5°F above average, overnight lows 1.1°F above average.

    • May: first half 4–6°F above average, second half cooler.

• Specialty Crop Impacts

  • Wind and Erosion:

    • Sandy soils in southeast Iowa caused sandblasting of young melons, requiring replanting.

    • Cover crops helped reduce erosion.

  • Pests:

    • Moist conditions favored slugs and roly-polies (pill bugs), which damaged pepper leaves.

    • Earwigs were problematic for dahlias.

    • Sluggo Plus (iron phosphate with spinosad) is labeled for these pests, but efficacy is uncertain.

  • Hay Harvest and Pests:

    • Hay harvest displaces potato leaf hoppers, which then move to green beans and potatoes.

    • Leaf hoppers are difficult to manage due to large populations.

  • Garlic:

    • Garlic scapes are emerging.

    • Removing scapes increases yield by about 15%.

    • Garlic scape anthracnose (a disease) can occur—remove affected scapes to prevent spread.

    • Aster leaf hoppers and aster yellows disease: this year, no positive disease tests in Michigan (last year, 4–11% positive).

  • Flowers:

    • Campanula and feverfew recently bloomed.

    • Dara and volunteer rudbeckia expected to bloom soon.

Summary generated by Perplexity.ai and edited by Dan Fillius