Iowa’s unusually mild November weather is expected to come to an end as a blast of colder air moves into the state later this week.
According to the National Weather Service in Des Moines, temperatures have remained several degrees above normal throughout the first part of November. However, that pattern is expected to change Wednesday night as colder air moves across Iowa.
Daytime highs are forecast to drop into the 30s and 40s statewide, with the possibility of scattered flurries and light snowfall in some areas.
National Weather Service Meteorologist Rod Donavon says November is historically known for its unpredictable weather patterns, with temperatures capable of shifting between unusually warm and bitterly cold conditions.
Donavon also highlighted two major historical weather events that occurred on November 11.
The Great Blue Norther of 1911 brought an extraordinary change in temperatures, along with thunderstorms, tornadoes and blizzard conditions.
The Armistice Day Blizzard of 1940 was another historic weather event. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the storm produced more than two feet of snow in some locations and claimed 160 lives across the Midwest.
Although the approaching cold front is not expected to bring conditions comparable to those historic storms, the temperature change is a reminder of how quickly Iowa weather can shift during the fall season.
Iowans are encouraged to keep an eye on updated forecasts, prepare for colder temperatures and be ready for the possibility of the season’s first winter weather.
Sources: National Weather Service in Des Moines
