Iowa Weather Report September 16th 2015: Summer Breezes

WARMTH CONTINUES: Warm and windy weather looks to continue for a few more days before a storm system moves in with some showers and thunderstorms possible Thursday into Friday. Today will be mainly sunny once again with some afternoon clouds popping up. Highs will get into the 80s across the state. Winds will be gusty once more out of the south at 15-25 mph with higher gusts possible. A storm system will slowly move into the state Thursday with a chance of some showers and storms by the afternoon hours in our western counties with the threat gradually moving to the east into Thursday night. Another system will come in from the southwest and enhance the chances of precipitation Friday into Friday night. This will likely effect some of the high school football games across the state. Readings on Thursday and Friday will be in the 70s to middle 80s depending on the amount of cloudiness and precipitation that could occur during the daylight hours. Rainfall amounts are looking to range between a half inch and one inch with isolated totals approaching two inches in some areas. Severe weather chances look low at this time.

SPECTACULAR WEEKEND: Following the departure of the system will be a great weekend to be outside with temperatures much cooler than this week. Outside of a few early day showers in our far eastern counties, skies will be mainly sunny throughout the weekend with some clouds possible in the afternoon. Highs this weekend should get into the 70s for the most part with some upper 60s in our far northern counties. Lows at night will be in the lower to middle 50s.

LOOKING FORWARD: Heading into next week, temperatures will begin to rise once more with winds turning back out of the south and southwest at the beginning of the week. This will bring readings back into the 70s to lower and middle 80s by Tuesday. The GFS shows a disturbance moving through next Wednesday with a chance of a shower however most places may remain dry for the most part. We should have a better handle on that over the next few days. Looking through the rest of the month, the model has another frontal system swinging through next Friday (25th) into early on Saturday (26th) with precipitation possible at that time. It is followed by some cooler air Saturday and Sunday (26-27th) before readings rebound once again to and possibly above seasonal levels as we end September and head into October. It also shows a dry weather pattern during that period as well. We’ll keep an eye on it as we draw closer.