The winter of 1978-1979 was one of the most brutally cold in Iowa’s history. The average temperature was just 12.4 degrees for the entire season, and anyone who lived through it remembers a neverending chill in the air and seemingly constant snowfall. The Quad Cities area was hit particularly hard.
What was the worst snow storm in Iowa?
13 Years Ago, Iowa Was Hit With One Of The Worst Blizzards In History
- Here’s something you don’t see that often.
- By the morning of December 9th, 2009, all of Iowa was snowed in.
- The snowfall shattered a nearly 40-year-old record, dropping between 8 and 17 inches of fresh snow across the entire state.
What was the coldest winter in Iowa?
On February 3, 1996, Elkader, Iowa, fell to -43.9 degrees Celsius (-47 Fahrenheit).
What year was the bad ice storm in Iowa?
January 2007 North American ice storm
| Category 2 “Significant” (RSI/NOAA: 3.05) | |
|---|---|
| Type | Extratropical cyclones Ice storms Winter storms |
| Formed | January 11, 2007 |
| Dissipated | January 24, 2007 |
| Lowest pressure | 961 millibars (28.4 inHg) |
What year did Iowa get the most snow?
These snowfall extremes were measured at Des Moines International Airport and go back to 1946. Since then, the most amount of snow to land in one day at Des Moines is 13.7 inches (34.8 centimetres) on January 26, 1996.
How much snow did Iowa get in the blizzard of 1978?
52.9 inches
The total for the season was a whopping 52.9 inches of snow.
Has Iowa ever had a snowless winter?
DES MOINES, Iowa — It’s the middle of October and Iowa hasn’t recorded any snowat least not yet. Unusual? Not necessarily. Although snow is fairly common in October (Des Moines averages about 0.5″), historical data shows 80 years on record have reported no snow at all in October.
What is the coldest Iowa has ever gotten?
These records were observed at Des Moines International Airport and go back to 1946. The lowest temperature measured during that time was -26 degrees Fahrenheit (-32 Celsius) on February 3, 1996.
What is the coldest it has ever been in Iowa?
-47F.
The coldest ever temperature recorded in Iowa happened in the town of Washta. On January 12th, 1912, the small northwest Iowa town recorded a temperature of -47F. Nearly 50 below!
What is the coldest wind chill ever recorded in Iowa?
According to the Iowa Environmental Mesonet, the all-time record in Iowa for Coldest Wind Chill occurred on Christmas Eve in Waterloo in 1983 when it was -64*.
What is the longest blizzard on record?
But a study published in the Journal of Operational Meteorology determined via local records that during the 1959 storm, it snowed continuously for six days, averaging 2.6 feet (80 centimeters) per day at the Old Ski Bowl. Mountain roads were closed and snow drifts 24 feet (7.3 meters) high were common.
When was the last time it snowed in Iowa on Easter?
The last time that there was measurable snow on the ground on Easter was in 2008 (March 23rd) when there were 3 inches of snow on the ground at 7 a.m. In 2023, Easter will be on April 9. Since 1873, Easter has occurred on this date, 4 times (1882, 1939, 1944, and 1950).
When was the last time it snowed in July in Iowa?
Not just in July, but there has never been documented snow in June, July, or August anywhere in Iowa. In Waterloo, it has NEVER been colder than 42* in July.
When was the last time it was 70 degrees in December in Iowa?
It has NEVER reached 70* in December in Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, or Des Moines. It reached 69* in Cedar Rapids on December 4, 1998.
What is the snowiest month in Iowa?
The snowy period of the year lasts for 4.3 months, from November 15 to March 23, with a sliding 31-day snowfall of at least 1.0 inches. The month with the most snow in Iowa City is December, with an average snowfall of 3.6 inches.
Where does it snow the most in Iowa?
In Mason City, an average of 41 inches of snow falls each winter according to the NOAA National Climatic Data Center. That’s the most snowfall of any Iowa town.
How cold was it during the Blizzard of 1978?
−60 °F
Winds gusting up to 100 miles per hour (161 km/h) caused drifts that nearly buried some homes. Wind chill values reached −60 °F (−51 °C) across much of Ohio, where 51 of the total 70 storm-related deaths occurred.
What was the winter of 1979 like?
The winter of 1978-1979 will long be remembered for not only heavy snow, but bitterly cold temperatures. A winter season record of 52.9 inches of snow fell over the area and the average temperature during the winter was a record low of 14.1F.
How long did the Blizzard of 1978 last?
33 hours
Storm strength
While a typical nor’easter brings steady snow for six to twelve hours, the Blizzard of ’78 brought heavy snow for an unprecedented full 33 hours as it was blocked from heading into the North Atlantic by a strong Canadian high pressure area.
Does it snow everywhere in Iowa?
Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground.
Climate Averages.
| Iowa, Iowa | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Rainfall | 35.2 in. | 38.1 in. |
| Snowfall | 30.4 in. | 27.8 in. |
| Precipitation | 98.9 days | 106.2 days |
| Sunny | 200 days | 205 days |
What is the winter forecast for Iowa?
November 2021 to October 2022. Winter will be colder and drier than normal, on average, with the coldest periods in mid- and late December, early and late January, and early to mid-February. Snowfall will be below normal in the north and above normal in central and southern areas.