Iowa Weekly Weather Summary

Iowa Weekly Weather Summary

Oct. 27 - Nov. 2, 2025

DES MOINES, Iowa (Nov. 3, 2025) - Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship's weekly weather summary released today. Information from the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report, which is released weekly by the United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service from April through November, was not available due to the federal government shutdown.

"Based on crop progress reports published over the past five years, Iowa farmers typically have more than 96 percent of soybeans and 85 percent of corn harvested by the first week of November," said Secretary Naig. "Wet weather, especially in western Iowa, kept many farmers out of the field for several days last week. Looking ahead, weather outlooks indicate warmer temperatures and a stretch of drier days ahead, which should allow many farmers to wrap up harvest soon."

Weather Summary
Provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

Widespread rainfall returned to Iowa during the reporting period as much of western Iowa experienced unseasonably wet conditions. Temperatures were slightly above normal over portions of northern Iowa, with near-normal readings across the rest of the state. The statewide average temperature was 45.3 degrees, 0.8 degree above normal.

Cloudy skies prevailed over much of Iowa through Sunday (26ᵗʰ) afternoon, accompanied by east to east-southeasterly winds and temperatures in the upper 50s to low 60s. Most of western Iowa experienced overnight cloud cover, which helped maintain Monday (27ᵗʰ) morning temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s; temperatures were in the upper 30s to low 40s in eastern Iowa where skies were clear. Mostly cloudy skies persisted across the state's western half through Tuesday (28ᵗʰ), with daytime highs ranging from the mid-50s to low 60s from west to east. Light showers formed along a cold front that pushed into the state from the west after midnight. Showers increased in areal coverage through Wednesday (29ᵗʰ), with daytime highs reaching only the mid-40s to low 50s. Rain continued into the early morning hours on Thursday (30ᵗʰ) before dissipating around sunrise. Nearly 50 stations collected at least 1.00 inch of rainfall, with the highest totals found in west-central Iowa: Guthrie Center (Guthrie County) observed 1.20 inches, Fort Dodge recorded 1.27 inches, and Davis City (Decatur County) measured 1.51 inches. Most stations east and west of this swath collected at least 0.50 inch, with a statewide average total of 0.60 inch. Skies remained partly cloudy as gusty northerly winds diminished during the evening hours after daytime temperatures peaked in the mid-50s.

Friday (31ˢᵗ) dawned with fog in western Iowa and spotty frozen fog at northwestern stations where temperatures were in the upper 20s to low 30s; stations farther south and east remained in the mid- to upper 30s under clear skies. Winds gradually shifted northwesterly as a fast-moving cold front dropped across the state. Afternoon temperatures varied from the low 40s in the northwest to the mid-50s in the southeast, with isolated light showers over northern Iowa. Light rain continued into Saturday (1ˢᵗ) with morning lows in the 40s and generally overcast conditions. Rain and some sleet were reported through the afternoon and evening hours, with chilly highs in the 40s; Ames Municipal Airport (Story County) registered 0.19 inch. Starry skies returned on Sunday (2ⁿᵈ), with both regular and frozen fog observed in eastern Iowa where temperatures held in the upper 20s.

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from 0.06 inch at Guttenberg Lock and Dam (Clayton County) to 1.60 inches in Council Bluffs (Pottawattamie County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.70 inch, while the normal is 0.53 inch. Several stations reported the week's high temperature of 68 degrees on the 26ᵗʰ, on average 11 degrees above normal. Allerton (Wayne County) recorded the week's low temperature of 21 degrees on the 2ⁿᵈ, 13 degrees below normal.