Did anyone notice the cold this morning? Today brought the coldest temperatures of the season, including a low of -22.F at Ames. It should be noted -20 below air temp or colder is not seen every year in this section of Iowa, so it is impressive. Here in Cumming, the low was -10.F the first double-digit below zero at my location this season. A very deep snow pack, clear skies and light winds allowed for this level cold. The photo above from my front yard shows these conditions. Most locations dropped into the teens to twenties below zero. Due to the nature of the light winds, the coldest temperatures occurred in river valleys and lows spots where cold air settled, this caused a huge temperature difference in some cases because of altitudes. The higher the altitude, the warmer the temp. Most of greater Des Moines was spared the worst of the cold because of heat island effect, the low at the airport was -10.F, but it was -17.F in Ankeny at the airport on the edge of town and in a low spot. Looking to the next 5 days, it will bring much warmer temperatures 30s and 40s will be seen!

 

South Central Iowa Lows

Ames -22.F
Perry -20.F
Ankeny -17.F
Boone -17.F
Marshalltown -16.F
Newton -15.F
Chariton -15.F
Creston -15.F
Osceola -13.F
Pella -12.F
Cumming -10.F
Des Moines Intl. Airport -10.F
Knoxville -9.F

 

Around Iowa

Shenandoah -18.F
Waterloo -16.F
Cedar Rapids -15.F
Mason City -15.F
Dubuque -15.F
Davenport -15.F
Fort Dodge -15.F
Red Oak -15.F
Fairfield -13.F
Iowa City -13.F
Mt. Pleasant -11.F
Decorah -11.F
Sioux City -11.F
Spencer -8.F
Council Bluffs -8.F