Iowa Records Fourth-Wettest September in State History

Iowa's preliminary statewide average of about 8 inches of rain made September roughly the fourth-wettest on record, more than double normal. The total rivals September 2018, part of the state's second-wettest year on record. Des Moines International Airport recorded 14.5 inches, its wettest September in 112 years of records and the third-wettest month overall behind 1881 and 1914. State climatologist Justin Glisan said the pattern held storms in place: "It hasn't been really windy out there. So these thunderstorms will pop up and they'll just drain over the same part of the state." September also averaged about 69 degrees statewide, five degrees above the 64-degree normal and preliminarily about the seventh warmest in 154 years. Station reports included Charles City at 4.35 inches after five opening days at 80 degrees or more, Osage at 4.59, Hampton at 4.66 and Mason City at 4.88. Glisan said combines have already begun hitting fields in northwest Iowa this week. Warmer and drier conditions forecast for early October are expected to help harvest operations.