A continuation of above normal temperatures and lack of rainfall contributed to a deterioration of drought conditions across central Iowa. A small area of Exceptional Drought developed in Tama county by the end of the month.
Every event with a place to put it; 35 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.
A continuation of above normal temperatures and lack of rainfall contributed to a deterioration of drought conditions across central Iowa. A small area of Exceptional Drought developed in Tama county by the end of the month. Agricultural crops were mainly unaffected by this point in the season as many of the crops had already reached maturity. However, the drier conditions did hasten the dry down of crops with harvest in full swing by the end of the month.
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 Aug 31, 9:39 PM CST, 2 hours 21 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 1039 PM CDT Thu Aug 31 2023 ...Updated for the 06z Aviation Discussion... .DISCUSSION.../Tonight through Thursday/ Issued at 341 PM CDT Thu Aug 31 2023 Key Messages: -Building heat into the weekend with Heat Index values mostly 95-100 through at least Labor Day. -Some threat of at least a few storms Tuesday and Wednesday with cooler air arriving mid week. Relatively pleasant conditions today with near normal temperatures and low dewpoints. Winds are expected to decouple and become light overnight and with the dry airmass and clear skies, another cool night is expected across the area. An upper low exits into southern Canada from the northern US on Friday with upper ridging building into the central United States through the weekend. Thermal ridging which expanded into the western High Plains today will continue to edge eastward as the ridge builds with heat expanding into Iowa. Daily highs are forecast the 90s for most locations by Saturday and remain there through Labor Day and Tuesday. Moisture is not expected to be as high given during this time with dewpoints holding mostly in the 60s producing heat index values from 95 to 100 on most days. With the jet stream pushed north toward the Canadian border, the storm track remains well north of the state with little threat of precipitation through later Monday. A trof located across the western US this weekend eventually begins moving northeast on Monday. Ahead of this trof, an weak upper low across Texas gets picked up by the southwest flow ahead of the trof and moves towards Iowa and Illinois late Monday/early Tuesday. There is some indication that a few storms may graze southern Iowa late Monday into Tuesday morning, however there still remains some uncertainty as to the movement of the system. Whichever the case, any impacts appear to remain very limited with this upper system. Otherwise, the main western trof pushes into the Midwest on Tuesday and early Wednesday with some timing differences between the GFS and Euro with the formal remaining more progressive. Both will bring some threat for scattered convection during this time and eventually cooler weather as a cold front pushes through the state. && .AVIATION.../For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Friday night/ Issued at 1039 PM CDT Thu Aug 31 2023 Confidence remains high in VFR conditions through the period at all terminals. Winds from the southeast or south around and under 10 knots will prevail overnight. By mid-morning Friday, gusty breezes will be common with gusts over northern Iowa between 20 and 25 knots. While the gusts will diminish into Friday evening, elevated winds will persist. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && DISCUSSION...Cogil AVIATION...Ansorge
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Des Moines IA 347 PM CDT Thu Aug 31 2023 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075- 081>086-092>097-012100- 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- 347 PM CDT Thu Aug 31 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Iowa. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday Widespread hot conditions will return over the Labor Day holiday and last into early next week. Caution is advised if your plans include any extended time outdoors or if you plan on attending outdoor events. Please exercise heat safety. Low chances for thunderstorms return to the forecast later Tuesday into Wednesday. The severe weather potential is low at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters will not be needed through at least the Labor Day holiday. Dodson
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
35 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Widespread severe drought persisted in much of Kossuth county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe drought persisted in much of Winnebago county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe to extreme drought persisted in Worth county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe to extreme drought persisted in Hancock county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread extreme drought persisted in Cerro Gordo county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe drought persisted in portions of Pocahontas county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe drought persisted in Humboldt county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe to extreme drought persisted in Wright county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe to extreme drought persisted in Franklin county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread extreme drought persisted in Butler county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread extreme drought persisted in Bremer county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe drought persisted in Sac county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe drought persisted in much of Calhoun county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe drought persisted in much of Webster county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe drought persisted in much of Hamilton county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe drought persisted in much of Hardin county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe to extreme drought persisted in Grundy county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe to extreme drought persisted in Black Hawk county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe drought persisted in Crawford county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe drought persisted in much of Carroll county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread severe drought persisted in much of Marshall county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Widespread extreme to exceptional drought persisted in Tama county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Severe drought persisted in portions of Audubon county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Severe drought persisted in portions of Guthrie county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Severe to extreme drought persisted in much of Poweshiek county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Severe drought persisted in much of Warren county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Severe drought persisted in much of Marion county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Severe to extreme drought persisted in much of Mahaska county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Severe drought persisted in much of Clarke county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Severe to extreme drought persisted in much of Lucas county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Severe to extreme drought persisted in Monroe county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Severe to extreme drought persisted in Wapello county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Severe to extreme drought persisted in portions of Wayne county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Severe to extreme drought persisted in portions of Appanoose county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Severe to extreme drought persisted in Davis county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, September 2023
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: 1139615, 1139616, 1139617, 1139619, 1139620, 1139622, 1139623, 1139624, 1139625, 1139627, 1139628, 1139631, 1139633, 1139635, 1139636, 1139639, 1139640, 1139641, 1139645, 1139646, 1139647, 1139656, 1139659, 1139660, 1139661, 1139662, 1139664, 1139666, 1139667, 1139670, 1139673, 1139675, 1139677, 1139678, 1139680.