Iowa Monthly Weather Summary – October 2025
General Summary
Temperatures averaged 56.9 degrees, 5.9 degrees above normal while precipitation totaled 1.96 inches or 0.73 inch below normal. October 2025 ranks as the 14th warmest in 153 years of statewide records. It also ties 1903 and 1980 as the 65th driest October on record. October 1973 was warmer while 2024 was drier.
Temperatures
Iowa’s National Weather Service (NWS) stations reported above-average temperatures for the month. October’s statewide average maximum temperature was 67.9 degrees, 5.6 degrees above normal while the average minimum temperature was 45.8 degrees, 6.2 degrees above normal. Muscatine (Muscatine County) reported the month’s high temperature of 93 degrees on the 3ʳᵈ, 23 degrees above normal. Vinton (Benton County) recorded the month’s low temperature of 21 degrees on the 24ᵗʰ, thirteen degrees below normal..
Heating Degree Days
Home heating requirements, as estimated by heating degree day totals, averaged
24% less than last October and 51% less than normal. Thus far this heating season, heating degree day totals are
running 5% less than last year at this time and 39% less than normal.
Precipitation
National Weather Service (NWS) co-op stations and Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) gauges across Iowa’s northwestern and southeastern half experienced widespread 1.00 to 2.00 inch deficits. However, splitting the halves of the state was a narrow southwest to northeast band of above normal rainfall. Monthly precipitation totals ranged from 0.64 inch at Spencer Municipal Airport (Clay County) to 4.00 inches in Madrid (Boone County).
US Drought Monitor
The current US Drought Monitor (USDM) map shows the impact of a drier than normal fall to date. As of October 1st, a little less than 1% of Iowa was rated in Moderate Drought (D1). By the end of October, D1 expanded across northwest and eastern Iowa, covering 15% of the state. Abnormally Dryness (D0) expanded over much of Iowa as well with 51% coverage.
Justin Glisan, Ph.D.
State Climatologist of Iowa
Iowa Dept. of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
Wallace State Office Bldg.
Des Moines, IA 50319
Telephone: (515) 281-8981
E-mail: Justin.Glisan@IowaAgriculture.gov
Weather by Districts
| TEMPERATURE (F) | HEATING DEGREE DAYS | PRECIPITATION (inches) | |||||||||
| SNOWFALL | |||||||||||
| October 2025 | October 2025 | Since Jul., 1, 2025 | October 2025 | Since Jan.1, 2025 | Oct 2025 | ||||||
| DISTRICT | Average | Departure* | Average | Departure* | Average | Departure* | Average | Departure* | Average | Departure* | Average |
| Northwest | 55.8 | +6.5 | 343 | -146 | 441 | -237 | 1.52 | -0.83 | 28.18 | -0.17 | 0.0 |
| North Central | 54.0 | +4.9 | 354 | -140 | 455 | -232 | 2.34 | -0.16 | 36.05 | +3.75 | 0.0 |
| Northeast | 55.0 | +5.6 | 351 | -136 | 458 | -223 | 1.77 | -1.07 | 32.87 | -1.56 | 0.0 |
| West Central | 56.8 | +5.7 | 293 | -143 | 367 | -227 | 1.74 | -0.72 | 32.69 | +2.21 | 0.0 |
| Central | 57.3 | +6.2 | 286 | -150 | 354 | -231 | 2.46 | -0.21 | 35.53 | +2.69 | 0.0 |
| East Central | 57.9 | +6.3 | 276 | -147 | 348 | -208 | 1.60 | -1.33 | 29.58 | -4.10 | 0.0 |
| Southwest | 58.7 | +6.0 | 241 | -149 | 295 | -225 | 2.84 | +0.04 | 26.81 | -5.70 | 0.0 |
| South Central | 59.2 | +6.6 | 231 | -163 | 279 | -240 | 2.68 | -0.15 | 30.83 | -2.84 | 0.0 |
| Southeast | 59.7 | +6.6 | 223 | -157 | 270 | -218 | 1.65 | -1.28 | 29.02 | -4.94 | 0.0 |
| STATE | 57.2 | +6.2 | 292 | -144 | 368 | -218 | 2.06 | -0.63 | 31.26 | -1.12 | 0.0 |
* Departures are computed from 1991-2020 normals. Due to the federal government shutdown, observations are still preliminary.
The weather data in this report are based upon information collected by the U. S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA National Weather Service.
