Drought conditions continued into April after a winter and early spring of below normal precipitation across portions of northwest Iowa.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 FSD wrote it up.
Drought conditions continued into April after a winter and early spring of below normal precipitation across portions of northwest Iowa.
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 Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 31, 9:37 PM CST, 2 hours 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD 1037 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022 .SHORT TERM...(This Evening through Friday) Issued at 222 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022 Clouds continue to diminish and mostly clear skies and lighter winds are expected late evening into the overnight. The clearing skies and lighter winds should allow for some cooler low temperatures, especially across any remaining snow cover. Light southerly flow will develop overnight but that should not have too much of an effect on temperatures. Overall lows should be in the 20s, with the potential for teens over snowpack. Clouds will be on the increase through the day as a wave approaches from the west. Forcing in the mid levels will increase in central SD in the morning then transition eastward through the afternoon. Low level moisture a bit on the drier side but forcing and moisture aloft seem like they should be strong enough to support some rainfall. Overall amounts should be a tenth of an inch or less and for the mid level band the best chances will be from south central SD through the mid James Valley closer to highway 14 towards southwest MN. Another area of forcing will develop across NE in the mid afternoon and move east into the evening. Fairly strong southerly flow, especially around 750 mb, looks to drive precipitation production which should work into parts of northwest IA late afternoon into the evening. Amounts still fairly light with this area but maybe a little bit better chance to exceed a tenth of an inch. The overall effect of this wave will be a cloudy day with chances for light to occasionally moderate rainfall, but not much in the way of wind. Highs mostly 45 to 55. .LONG TERM...(Friday Night through Thursday) Issued at 222 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022 Friday night into Saturday troughiness drifts east, taking with it the chances for light rain, possibly mixed with a little snow. West to northwest flow will gradually develop overnight into Saturday and bring mild and slightly breezy conditions to the area. Expect wind gusts of 20 to 25 mph with highs generally in the 50s. Saturday night into Sunday will see the next wave move into the area and bring a chance for rain. Overall model agreement not all that great, with the GFS and Canadian a bit to the north of the area while the Nam and EC bring the energy far south and into the area. The GEFS ensemble output generally gives the entire area less than a 10 percent chance for a tenth of an inch or greater while the 6z EC Ensemble increase that chance to 50 to 70 percent for most of the area. It looks like the energy moving into the northwest coast of the U.S. will play a role in this wave. If a little faster it weakens to ridge to the west and should keep the wave from dropping southeast while a slower solution allows the ridge to build a bit and the wave to dive farther southeast. Something to keep an eye on. Overall lows 25 to 35 with highs in the 40s and 50s, coldest in southwest MN and warmest, probably a touch above 60, along the Missouri River. Monday should be a touch cooler as the wave passes but should generally see highs of 45 to 55 across the area. Tuesday into Wednesday is when the models have more disagreement but overall looks like a good chance for precipitation during this time. Milder temperatures on Tuesday will give way to highs in the upper 30s to 40s on Wednesday. For now the threat appears to be more rain than snow but do at least expect some snow to mix in with the somewhat strong wave and marginally cold low to mid level temperatures. Thursday will continue the cooler temperatures with some lingering chance for precipitation. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Friday night) Issued at 1036 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022 Expect VFR conditions and light and variable winds to prevail tonight through early Friday morning. Mid to lower VFR ceilings will spread in Friday, along with rain showers and occasional MVFR ceilings by mid day near KHON. This activity should move into the I-29 corridor and areas east Friday evening. && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. NE...NONE. && SHORT TERM...08 LONG TERM...08 AVIATION...BP
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD 520 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022 IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-MNZ071-072-080-081-089-090-097- 098-NEZ013-014-SDZ038>040-050-052>071-011300- Lyon-Osceola-Dickinson-Sioux-O'Brien-Clay-Plymouth-Cherokee- Buena Vista-Woodbury-Ida-Lincoln-Murray-Cottonwood-Nobles-Jackson- Pipestone-Rock-Dixon-Dakota-Beadle-Kingsbury-Brookings-Gregory- Jerauld-Sanborn-Miner-Lake-Moody-Brule-Aurora-Davison-Hanson-McCook- Minnehaha-Charles Mix-Douglas-Hutchinson-Turner-Bon Homme-Yankton- Union- 520 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest Iowa, west central Iowa, southwest Minnesota, northeast Nebraska, central South Dakota, east central South Dakota, south central South Dakota and southeast South Dakota. .DAY ONE...Tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe (D2) drought continued with only 25 to 50 percent of normal January through March precipitation.
Severe (D2) drought continued with only 25 to 50 percent of normal January through March precipitation.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, April 2022
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: 1019268, 1019270.