Spring rains were underwhelming during the month, leading to continued severe drought conditions.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS DMX wrote it up.
Spring rains were underwhelming during the month, leading to continued severe drought conditions.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Des Moines, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 31, 10:52 PM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 1152 PM CDT Wed Mar 31 2021 ...Updated 06z Aviation... .DISCUSSION.../Tonight through Wednesday/ Issued at 230 PM CDT Wed Mar 31 2021 It has been an active spring day across the forecast area as an upper level trough axis begins to pull through the region. Observed weather conditions have ranged from light snow showers in far north central Iowa to touching red flag conditions in the south and west. Wind speeds have far exceeded guidance today with gusts in excess of 40 kts observed at some sites. The dry air mass with dew points in the single digits and teens has also dropped RH values in the 20 to 30 percent range this afternoon. An extensive stratocumulus deck over northern into eastern Iowa has kept temps cooler/higher RH, but steepening lapse rates through a deepening boundary layer have produced isolated to scattered light snow showers. Most of this precip is struggling to reach the ground due to the dry sub-cloud layer, but some intermittent visby reductions were observed just north of the IA/MN border. A slight chance for some snow showers continues through the afternoon before the loss of daytime heating and a stabilizing near surface layer ends any precip potential. Winds relax considerably overnight as a surface high pressure center slides into the state. Ripe conditions for strong raditional cooling set up overnight with clear skies, light winds, and a dry air mass in place. Lows tonight were dropped several degrees below previous forecast to align better with recent MOS guidance which brings lows into the mid teens to low 20s. Temps may still not be low enough in favored cool air drainage areas such as local river valleys and other low lying spots. Southerly winds beneath a building ridge aloft will usher in a period of warm air advection and above normal temperatures starting Friday through at least the weekend. Highs were pushed above guidance on several instances, especially on Sunday when much of the forecast area stands a chance to crack 80 degrees. Some 80s may be seen on Monday as well, but the potential for cloud cover casts doubt on where we will end up. Models have trended a bit sluggish with moisture return and progged surface dewpoints are now a bit drier through the weekend. Initial thought was higher dewpoints would mitigate any fire weather concerns, but latest trends suggest this may need closer attention particularly on Friday and Sunday when winds may be gusty. Models are converging on early next week as the next possible precipitation window as a weak shortwave may support some shower and thunderstorm activity. Beyond that point significant model differences emerge as the GFS/Euro deterministic and ensemble means both run out of phase. The GFS digs a western conus trough and supports more widespread precipitation chances toward the middle of next week, while the Euro tracks an upper low across the Canadian border and dries out the area as it shoves a cold front southward. Very low confidence exists in the extended range of the forecast at this time. && .AVIATION.../For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Thursday night/ Issued at 1150 PM CDT Wed Mar 31 2021 Clear skies for the next 24 hours across Iowa. Generally light winds overnight and through the day on Thursday with surface high pressure across the upper Midwest. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && DISCUSSION...Martin AVIATION...Krull
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Des Moines IA 717 PM CDT Wed Mar 31 2021 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075- 081>086-092>097-011100- Emmet-Kossuth-Winnebago-Worth-Palo Alto-Hancock-Cerro Gordo- Pocahontas-Humboldt-Wright-Franklin-Butler-Bremer-Sac-Calhoun- Webster-Hamilton-Hardin-Grundy-Black Hawk-Crawford-Carroll-Greene- Boone-Story-Marshall-Tama-Audubon-Guthrie-Dallas-Polk-Jasper- Poweshiek-Cass-Adair-Madison-Warren-Marion-Mahaska-Adams-Union- Clarke-Lucas-Monroe-Wapello-Taylor-Ringgold-Decatur-Wayne- Appanoose-Davis- 717 PM CDT Wed Mar 31 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Iowa. .DAY ONE...Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday There is a chance of thunderstorms Monday night. The chances for severe weather are low at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters will not be needed.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe drought persisted across portions of Emmet County during April. Precipitation returned to below normal for the month with severe drought persisting.
Severe drought persisted across far western portions of Kossuth County during April. Precipitation was around 50% of normal across the area.
Severe drought persisted across portions of Pocahontas County during April. Precipitation was around 50% of normal across the area.
Severe drought persisted across portions of Palo Alto county during April. Precipitation was around 50% of normal across the area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, April 2021
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 949186, 949187, 949188, 949189.