Weather in Iowa. What is Iowa weather like?
If you're thinking about making a move to the greater Iowa City area you're
probably doing all of the homework like watching a
video about Iowa weather. I once had a client tell me he heard
that Iowa was like the Caribbean of the midwest. *laugh*
Well, I'm here today to let you in on the real deal
of what weather is actually like here in the Iowa City area.
Hi there. My name is Emily Farber. I'm a Realtor in the Iowa City area and I make
youtube videos all about real estate and the greater
Iowa City area. I have people reach out to me all the
time off of youtube and ask me questions and look for help
about real estate and I love it! If you would like to chat
about real estate and you're watching this on your mobile device
in order to find my contact information all you need to do is
tap the title of this video and the description box for the video is going
to open right up. So, about the
weather... I think it's a universal human trait to
complain about the weather, right? Here in Iowa we've got the good the bad
and some ugly weather, but what can you do
about it, other than laugh? Iowa is a four season climate so we
enjoy the classic reiterations of winter, spring,
summer, and fall. Here in Iowa, at the time i recorded this video
in September, folks are starting to get excited about fall.
Fall leaves changing color, cooler temperatures,
pumpkin spice lattes... which are not my thing,
but whatever floats your boat is fine by me. If you're gonna go get a coffee
I'll take a mocha, thanks. Fall in Iowa can be a really lovely time of year.
The humidity heads out and the days can just be
gloriously crisp. The average fall temperatures in the Iowa City area
tends to stay between 41 and 82 degrees. The average high in September is 77,
October is 64, and November is 49. I do need to put a disclaimer on
November as a whole. Despite it being my birthday month it is
not my favorite time of year weather-wise. The leaves are gone
by then, it has a tendency to be overcast, cold,
windy and just kind of ugly outside. I guess November is the month
that makes us all giddy about the possibility of snow
to perk up the scenery and give us something new to look at and talk about.
Iowa winters can really be hither and thither.
Some years are real doozies while others are tolerable.
While the calendar month might lead you to believe otherwise
you can expect winter weather around here anywhere from
November to March. As a whole, winters in Iowa are freezing,
windy, and have a fair number of overcast days.
Our cold is a damp cold which makes it feel
colder than the same temperature in a drier climate
like Colorado. Average temperatures in January in Iowa City range from about
14 to 31 degrees Fahrenheit. It does snow here too,
but it would be unusual for there to be constant snow cover for the entire
season. We have a mix of snow and then what I affectionately call the
"frozen tundra." Snow in Iowa can range from light and
fluffy to very wet and heavy. If you want to make a
proper snowman you need wet snow for it to stick
together. Iowa also likes to throw ice rain into
the mix just for fun which really puts people's
driving skills to the test. The average snowfall in Iowa City is 27
inches per year, and since we're talking about
the cold, the average low temperature in Iowa City
is 19 degrees Fahrenheit in December, 14 in January, and
17 in February. kKeep in mind that those low temperatures often happen at night
so hopefully you'll be tucked away at home enjoying the warmth of a fire or a
soft blanket. If nothing else, remember that Iowa
weather is unpredictable so it's also possible to see winter
weather so unexpectedly mild that you can go outside with just a
sweatshirt or whether so bitterly cold that
people dramatically call it a polar vortex,
spazz out on the news, and pretty much any skin
exposed to wind for more than a few minutes will freeze.
Spring in Iowa might be the most glorious time of year.
Just when you think you are at the end of your rope, Mother Nature has mercy on
us all. March is nothing to write home about, in
my opinion, because it's too muddy and I am just feeling so
very done with winter at that point, but once
we get past March the weather is warm and not
humid which is wonderful. The landscape is
gorgeous with all the green things coming back to life and the little baby
animals, the smell of blooming trees is in the
air, which is great if you don't have allergies.
Here in Iowa City things really start to turn green and bloom
towards the later part of April. The average high temperature in March
is still only 49 degrees, but it jumps up to 62 in April,
and 73 in May. Iowa summers tend to be warm and humid.
Average summer temperatures in Iowa City range from lows in the 60s to
highs in the upper 80s. There are definitely some days that get well into
the 90s and we do usually see at least a couple of days at or near
100 degrees. Our humidity is really what tends to get to people
because it makes those temperatures feel so much
hotter and more oppressive. You know what all that humidity is good
for? Growing corn.
Iowa Summers are also known for some big thunderstorms
thanks to all that humidity that builds up in the atmosphere.
So, if you like watching thunderhead clouds build up in the sky,
if you like watching lightning, and you like watching storms roll in,
you'll have some good stormy weather entertainment to watch here in Iowa.
Sometimes I get questions about tornadoes from clients who are moving
here from other areas. Does Iowa get tornadoes? Yes, sometimes.
Every area has something, right? Hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires,
tornadoes. May and June are the peak months for
tornadoes in Iowa and, on average, the state sees about 48
tornadoes a year. But before you freak out keep in mind
that while tornadoes are dangerous not every one of them is
barreling through a residential neighborhood.
Iowa is a state with a lot of rural open space so
most of those tornadoes are touching down in open land like
farm fields where the damage is going to be kept to a minimum.
What questions do you have about life in and around Iowa City?
Tell me about it in the comment section down below. I love it when people ask me
questions or leave comments on my videos because then it gives me ideas for
upcoming videos! While you're there be sure to hit that
red subscribe button to make sure you don't miss out on any of my future
content. Hey, if you want to learn more about Iowa
City in general you should click on this playlist-- I'll
leave it right up here and you'll find a ton
of Iowa City information up there. It's been fun.
I'll catch you later!