Iowa Weekly Growing Season Report
Preliminary weather summary for the week June 1 - 7, 2026
June began with unseasonably wet conditions across a southwest to northeast swath of Iowa. Beneficial rains fell after the 35th driest May in 154 years of statewide records. Unseasonable warmth persisted with the highest departures from central to western Iowa; the statewide average temperature was 72.8 degrees, 5.9 degrees above normal.
Light rain was reported into Sunday (31st) afternoon from central to northeast Iowa. Stronger thunderstorms fired along the state’s western border after sunset. There were a handful of reports of large hail and straight-line winds, causing some isolated tree damage. Locally heavy rainfall was also reported at multiple stations with 1.00 inch in Persia (Harrison County) to 2.16 inches in Bedford (Taylor County). Monday (1st) dawned with morning lows in the 60s, mostly clear skies and light winds generally out of the east. Afternoon temperatures rose into the upper 80s in west-central Iowa which helped fuel isolated thunderstorms that produced some large hail. While rainfall was concentrated over a smaller area, Perry (Dallas County) collected 0.61 inch while two stations in Jefferson (Green County) registered 0.80 to 1.12 inches. Winds held easterly into Tuesday (2nd) with morning temperatures in the upper 50s southeast to mid 60s northwest with a few passing clouds in central Iowa. Daytime conditions were pleasant, as highs reached into the upper 70s and low 80s with low relative humidity and ample sunshine. Winds swung to the south overnight into Wednesday (3rd) becoming gusty by the afternoon hours across southern Iowa. Afternoon conditions were mostly clear except for clouds pushing into southwestern Iowa and statewide temperatures in the low 80s.
Clouds increased over western Iowa through the early morning hours on Thursday (4th) as a low pressure center pushed along the Iowa-Minnesota border. As the attendant cold front swept across the state through the daytime hours, a line of showers and thunderstorms consolidated as it moved into central Iowa. Some embedded cells produced moderate to heavy rainfall as the line advanced into eastern Iowa. More than 130 stations reported at least an inch with nearly 30 collecting at least two inches. The highest totals were found from central to northeast Iowa; Story City (Story County) observed 2.50 inches with two Buchanan County stations, Independence and Winthrop registering 3.52 and 4.00 inches, respectively. Northwestern and southeastern stations reported measurable totals, though generally in the 0.25-0.50 inch range with an overall statewide average of 0.84 inch. Friday (5th) began with foggy conditions over much of the state due to overnight rainfall, light winds and ample low-level humidity. Morning temperatures varied from the mid 60s northwest to low 70s southeast. Skies remained mostly cloudy through the day with southwesterly winds and temperatures in the low 80s. Slow-moving thunderstorms fired over southern Iowa during the evening hours after ample heating and in the presence of anomalous atmospheric water vapor availability. Several cells became tornado warned, though no touchdowns were reported. Very heavy rain fell across Lucas County, where flooded basements and washed-out roads were reported. Williamson observed 3.40 inches with 4.09 inches in Chariton and 4.62 inches in Russell. Conditions stabilized into Saturday (6th) morning with clear skies and light, variable winds. Ideal weather persisted throughout the day with temperatures warming into the 80s. Light showers spun into southern Iowa by daybreak on Sunday (7th) with unseasonably warm morning temperatures in the low 70s statewide.
Weekly precipitation totals ranged 0.03 inch in Sac City (Sac County) to 5.52 inches in Russell (Lucas County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 1.17 inch; the normal is 1.18 inches. Several stations reported the week’s high temperature of 93 degrees on the 6th, on average 15 degrees above normal. Elkader (Clayton County) reported the week’s low temperature of 41 degrees on the 3rd, 11 degrees below normal.
