Iowa Monthly Weather Summary – May 2025

General Summary

Temperatures averaged 59.7degrees or 0.2 degrees below normal while precipitation totaled 2.59 inches or 2.25 inches below normal. May 2025 ties 1960 and 1993 as the 72nd coldest and ties 1963 as the 64th driest May in 153 years of statewide records. A colder May occurred in 2021 while a drier May occurred in 2023.

Spring Summary

Temperatures for the three spring months of March, April and May averaged 50.8 degrees, 2.5 degrees above normal. This ranks as the 23rd warmest spring on record. Precipitation totaled 8.55 inches or 1.95 inches below normal, tying 1963 as the 64th driest in 153 years of observations; Spring 2024 was warmer while 2023 was drier.
 

Justin M. 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
  May 2025 May 2025 Since Jul., 1, 2024 May 2025 Since Jan.1, 2025 May 2025
DISTRICT Average Departure* Average Departure* Average Departure* Average Departure* Average Departure* Average
                       
Northwest 59.1 +0.3 231 -13 6779 -625 2.10 -2.17 7.55 -3.18 0.0
North Central 58.9 +0.4 234 -14 6855 -608 2.51 -2.37 10.82 -1.69 0.0
Northeast 58.4 0.0 241 -6 6791 -539 2.37 -2.35 10.34 -2.68 0.0
                       
West Central 59.8 -0.2 211 -2 6280 -540 2.28 -2.44 8.53 -3.18 0.0
Central 60.0 -0.1 207 -4 6230 -576 3.12 -1.84 10.42 -2.37 0.0
East Central 60.2 -0.4 201 +2 6098 -530 3.35 -1.27 10.13 -3.15 0.0
                       
Southwest 60.4 -0.9 195 +12 5832 -430 2.08 -3.20 7.14 -5.57 0.0
South Central 60.4 -0.7 194 +7 5751 -487 2.72 -2.50 8.79 -4.74 0.0
Southeast 60.6 -1.1 191 +16 5729 -409 2.81 -2.31 9.39 -4.71 0.0
                       
STATE 59.7 -0.2 210 -1 6250 -538 2.59 -2.25 9.28 -3.37 0.0

* Departures are computed from 1991-2020 normals.
The weather data in this report are based upon information collected by the U. S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA National Weather Service.