IOWA MONTHLY WEATHER SUMMARY – FEBRUARY 2024

General Summary

Temperatures averaged 37.6 degrees or 13.5 degrees above normal while precipitation totaled 0.19 inch, 0.98 inch below normal. February 2024 ranks as the warmest and ties 1968 as the 2nd driest in 152 years of statewide observational records. February 1954 was the 2nd warmest on record while February 1970 was drier.

Temperatures

Anomalously warm temperatures blanketed Iowa in February with the highest departures found north and north-central; average temperature departures were up to 11 to 15 degrees above normal. In fact, February’s statewide average was 1.2 degrees warmer than March’s climatological average. Multiple stations in western Iowa had a daytime high of 81 degrees on the 26th, just one degree off the record high set on February 28, 1972, in Sidney (Fremont County).

February’s statewide average maximum temperature was 49.9 degrees, 16.8 degrees above normal while the average minimum temperature was 25.4 degrees, 10.3 degrees above normal. Clarinda Municipal Airport (Page County), Little Sioux (Harrison County) and Shenandoah Municipal Airport (Fremont County) reported the month’s high temperature of 81 degrees on the 26th, on average 43 degrees above normal.  Mapleton (Monona County) and Primghar (O’Brien County) had the month’s low temperature of -2 degrees on the 17th, on average 16 degrees below normal.

Heating Degree Day Totals

Home heating requirements, as estimated by heating degree day totals, were 28% less than last February and 33% less than normal. Thus far this heating season, heating degree day totals are running 15% less than last year at this time and 17% less than normal.

Precipitation

Many National Weather Service co-op stations reported less than 25% of normal precipitation through February. Overall, a vast majority of Iowa’s reporting stations observed 50% of normal with the driest conditions across the southern three tiers of counties. Monthly precipitation totals ranged from 0.01 inch at several stations to 0.83 inch in Dubuque (Dubuque County). Statewide snowfall was well below normal with an average of 1.1 inches, 5.7 inches below normal.  

Winter Summary

Temperatures for the three winter months of December, January and February (DJF) averaged 30.7 degrees or 7.8 degrees above normal while precipitation totaled 3.83 inches, 0.32 inch above normal. Winter 2023-2024 ranks as the 2nd warmest and ties 1997 as the 47th wettest; 1877 was warmer while 2022 was wetter (3rd wettest). The statewide average snowfall was 20.1 inches, 2.00 inches below normal, making it the 71st least snowy winter in 137 years of records with 2020-2021 experiencing less snow.

US Drought Monitor

The US Drought Monitor showed little change in drought conditions across Iowa in February. The area of the state classified in D3 (Extreme Drought) expanded to 20%, while the areas of D2 (Severe Drought) and D1 (Moderate Drought) remained largely unchanged at 36% and 23%, respectively. At the end of February, less than one percent of the state was rated as free from drought and dryness.

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
  February 2024 February 2024 Since Jul., 1, 2023 February 2024 Since Jan.1, 2024 Feb 2024
DISTRICT Average Departure* Average Departure* Average Departure* Average Departure* Average Departure* Average
                       
Northwest 35.5 14.1 826 -394 4673 -975 0.21 -0.64 1.24 -0.32 1.7
North Central 35.8 15.0 818 -421 4605 -1077 0.15 -0.89 1.14 -0.79 0.6
Northeast 35.6 14.1 823 -394 4568 -1002 0.31 -0.92 2.20 -0.16 0.2
                       
West Central 37.6 13.3 767 -371 4390 -851 0.19 -0.78 1.50 -0.24 2.0
Central 37.8 13.7 762 -384 4288 -934 0.14 -0.98 1.92 -0.12 1.8
East Central 38.2 13.4 750 -375 4211 -591 0.20 -1.25 2.70 +0.03 0.3
                       
Southwest 40.2 12.9 703 -354 4156 -601 0.08 -1.03 1.57 -0.37 0.5
South Central 39.8 12.5 713 -343 4039 -602 0.21 -1.13 2.63 +0.31 0.7
Southeast 39.6 12.1 711 -340 4009 -496 0.16 -1.46 3.44 +0.50 0.8
                       
STATE 37.6 13.5 764 -378 4312 -893 0.19 -0.98 2.00 -0.14 1.1