The Climate of Iowa

According to Abbreviation Finder, Iowa (IA) is a centrally located state of the United States of America. There is no direct connection to a sea or ocean. Also, Iowa is not located on a lake of any significance. Its location east of the mountainous west gives Iowa a mostly hilly landscape, with the northeast having a pattern that is almost mountainous, while there are no serious elevations. This part is part of the Peleozoic Plateau, through which the Mississippi River flows.

Continental Climate

Iowa has a warm continental climate, where there can be extreme temperatures and weather conditions. Iowa, for example, has an average of 37 tornadoes, which can be a major source of damage, especially in the spring and summer. The summer months are warm, with an average of 28 to 32 degrees Celsius during the day. July is the hottest month, with a chance that the mercury will reach 40 degrees Celsius. As warm as the summers can be, as cool as the winters can be. Due to its central location, Iowa is virtually unaffected by the influence of relatively warm seawater.

Extreme cold

If there is a cool northerly current, the thermometers may dip towards freezing temperatures. Severe frost is not uncommon at night, and even during the day it can remain icy cold. In winter, the landscape is regularly covered with a white layer of snow. On average, it snows between 20 and 35 days a year, with a total of about one meter of snow falling. Under extreme conditions, tens of centimeters of snow can fall locally within 24 hours. If this occurs several times during a frost period, snow layers can be so high that villages are closed off from the outside world.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

The climate of Burlington

According to Countryaah, Burlington is a small city in southeastern Iowa, on the Mississippi. The Mississippi here forms the border with the state of Illinois. Burlington is located in Des Moines County. The Burlington Micropolitan Area includes the towns of West Burlington and Middletown (Iowa) and Gulfport (Illinois). In the city is the Snake Alley, one of the most curved roads in the world. Just outside the city you will find the Crapo Park (arboretum and botanical garden).

Burlington has a warm continental climate, with a pleasantly long summer period and a cold winter period. In winter, the mercury will not rise above freezing in some months. During these months the precipitation here will mainly come down as snow and/or wet snow. The summer months are pleasantly warm, with temperatures that can sometimes feel tropical. Burlington is located in Tornado Alley.

The climate of Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids is one of the largest cities in Iowa by population. Cedar Rapids is located in the western part of the state, on the Cedar River. The city was hit hard during the great flood of 2008. The Cedar River was more than 9 meters high during the flood. A large part of the city was submerged as a result. According to the inhabitants of the city, there are five seasons here: in addition to the four regular seasons, they have one more here to enjoy the rest of the seasons. This is also the trademark of the city.

Cedar Rapids has a warm continental climate, with four seasons, with summer and winter being the dominant ones. The other two seasons are a lot more erratic, with features from both the summer and winter periods. The summer months are pleasantly warm, with temperatures hovering around 30 degrees Celsius during the day. Most precipitation falls during this period. During the winter months it can get quite cool here and extreme cold is certainly no exception.

The climate of the Des Moines

Des Moines is the capital of this American state, centrally located in Iowa. The city is named after the river of the same name, which joins the Raccoon River at Des Moines. Des Moines has the honor of being one of the safest cities in the United States. Des Moines is also seen as the city within the insurance world, because many American insurance companies have their headquarters here.

Des Moines has a warm continental climate, with warm summers, cool winters and two in-between seasons that can be described as very fickle. For example, it can still snow in March, while maximum temperatures of around thirty degrees can also occur in this early spring month. The contrasts are quite large throughout the year. Des Moines owes this to the absence of large bodies of water that can influence the weather. With just under 2,700 hours of annual sunshine and about nine hundred millimeters of precipitation per year, Des Moines statistically falls around the average cities within the US.

The climate of Dubuque

Dubuque is a medium-sized city in eastern Iowa, on the Mississippi. Dubuque is located on a tristate point where Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin meet. Dubuque is one of the oldest places in this part of the United States. The French appropriated this part of America in the 17th century. It was not until 100 years later that the first Europeans came to live here. Lead mines were built and exploded here during this period. The city attracts many tourists every year, who come here for the hilly landscape, the beautiful architecture of the city and of course the casinos on the Mississippi.

Dubuque has a warm continental climate, with slightly higher precipitation rates than most places in Iowa. During the winter months, this precipitation will mainly come down as snow and sleet. Summers are pleasantly warm and on the hottest days of the year the mercury can rise well above 30 degrees Celsius. The winters, on the other hand, are icy cold. During the winter months, the mercury here will barely rise above freezing. Dubuque is located in Tornado Alley.

The climate of Sioux City

Sioux City is a city in western Iowa on the Missouri River. The city’s metropolitan area is located in both Iowa and neighboring state Nebraska. Stone State Park is a beautiful park southwest of the city. The Big Sioux River runs through this park. Sioux City has been calling the title “the best medium-sized city to live” for years. According to another source, the city is one of the “Drunkest Cities in America”. The truth will lie somewhere in the middle. It is known that the city was known as “Little Chicago” during Prohibition, mainly because of the circumvention of Prohibition.

Sioux City has a moderate continental climate with icy cold winter months and warm to hot summers. Average rainfall is just slightly lower than most places in Iowa. Most precipitation falls during the summer months. Fortunately, the rain clouds usually make way for the sun, which shines exuberantly here during this period. January is the coldest month in Sioux City, especially the nights are very cold.

The climate of Waterloo

Waterloo is a city in the northeastern-central part of Iowa, in Black Hawk County. Cedar Falls along with Waterloo make up the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Metropolitan Area. Waterloo was founded in the 19th century on the banks of the Cedar River. In recent years, this river has regularly overflowed its banks, causing a lot of nuisance. During the 2008 flood, the water was more than 8 meters higher than normal. This was the biggest flood ever in Waterloo.

Waterloo has a temperate continental climate, with cold winter months and warm to hot summer months. The most precipitation falls in the spring, during this period the risk of flooding is therefore greatest. The winter period is icy cold and during the coldest months of the year the mercury will not rise above freezing. The summer months are pleasantly warm and can sometimes be called hot. There can be quite a lot of precipitation in Waterloo, in the winter months this precipitation will mainly consist of snow and sleet.