Iowa Weather Records

7 official all-time records

The official all-time extremes for Iowa, as NOAA’s State Climate Extremes Committee lists them: from 118°F at Keokuk No. 2 to -47°F at Elkader.

Maximum Temperature

Record	Date	Where	Station	Status
118°F	July 20, 1934	Keokuk No. 2	134372	EA

The value of 118 degrees F is confirmed as a valid observation, but the station sits on a bluff above the river and the observation is characteristic more of the local microclimate than the area climate. If this value is in doubt, the next highest value is 117 degrees F on July 25, 1936 at both Logan and Atlantic.

Minimum Temperature

Record	Date	Where	Station	Status
-47°F	February 3, 1996	Elkader	132603	E1
-47°F	January 12, 1912	Washta	138693	E1

Greatest 24-Hour Precipitation

Record	Date	Where	Station	Status
13.18 inches	June 14, 1998	Atlantic 1NE	130364	NA

Previously reported record of 16.70 inches in Decatur Co. on August 5-6, 1959 is likely valid, but was estimated from a post-event survey observation. A 13.52 inch observation was made at Atlantic 5SW on June 14, 1998, but it is likely that the observation covered more than a 24-hr period.

Maximum 24-Hour Snowfall

Record	Date	Where	Station	Status
24 inches	April 20, 1918	Lenox	134746	N: Value is changed from extremes tables last updated by NCEI (formerly NCDC) between 1998 and 2006. Value exceeds all other valid values.

State climatologist reports a greater 24-hr snow fall that spanned 2 observational days.

Maximum Snow Depth

Record	Date	Where	Station	Status
52 inches	March 1, 1969	Lake Park	134561	E1
52 inches	February 28, 1969	Lake Park	134561	E1

Possible issues with reporting of snow depth at Lake Park. State climatologist is investigating.

Every storm in Iowa since 1950 Every tornado in Iowa Every state

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State Climate Extremes Committee records.