October wrapped up as one of Iowa’s 20 driest Octobers in 150 years of record keeping.
State climatologist Justin Glisan says the northwest and central regions of the state were as much as two and a half inches below normal for rainfall for the month.
Glisan see the state is starting to trend down into the driest part of the year, which is December, January and February, but looking at the statewide average total, Iowa was just under an inch, which is one and three quarters inches below average across the state.
Temperatures were widely varied for the month, with some days in the 90s for highs and some nights falling well below freezing and into the teens.
Outlooks are signaling a trend toward cooler than average temperatures, but also a wet signal is building in, which is good in terms of replenishing at least some subsoil moisture for the next growing season.