Iowa Weather Report October 22nd 2014: Rain Ahead, Warmth to Follow

SOME RAIN IN THE FORECAST: The next system will be approaching the state from the west later today. This will bring some showers and perhaps a thunderstorm to the western counties of the state as early as late this afternoon or this evening. The rest of the state will see sunshine with an increase in the clouds by the afternoon hours. Highs will be in the 60s and lower 70s across the state. The rain will move through tonight through the day on Thursday, but the system will be weakening as it does so, so the heaviest precipitation from this system will likely fall along and west of Interstate 35 with lighter amounts to the east. Thursday will feature mainly cloudy skies outside the shower chances with readings held down due to the clouds in the 50s and lower 60s in the eastern counties with some slightly warmer readings out west where skies may clear by the middle to late afternoon hours. As we head into the weekend, Friday through Sunday looks gorgeous with plenty of sunshine and readings well above seasonal levels for the end of October with 60s and lower 70s returning.

INTO NEXT WEEK: Another system will move through Monday into the first half of Tuesday with a chance of some showers at that time. This will also bring an end to the warmer than normal readings as they look to slide back to near seasonal levels as we head toward the middle of next week. Another system will be taking shape off to our west by the time we get to next Wednesday. We’ll have more on that in the coming days.

HEADING OFF INTO NOVEMBER: As we look at the extended period which takes us several days into November, the weather pattern looks much different from what we’ve been seeing and what we’ll see in the next few days. The system mentioned earlier for next Wednesday looks to move into Thursday into Friday (Halloween). This could bring some decent rains to the state if the GFS proves correct. Following this, a plunge of MUCH colder air will move in as we change into November. Temperatures may struggle to reach the 40s and there could be a few flurries possible on the 1st especially in the northern and northeastern counties of the state. Temperatures will slowly modify before another plunge of cold air returns around the 4th and 5th. We’ll have to watch to see if this drastic pattern change continues on upcoming model runs, until then we will just have to enjoy what we have for right now, because sooner or later, those plunges of cold air from Canada will be here to stay for a while.