Past IEM Features tagged: may18
All May above average
31 May 2018 05:30 AMThe last day of May will continue the recent trend of very warm weather. The featured map presents the number of consecutive days with the daily high temperature above the present 30 year period average. A few locations on this map will finish the entire month of May with above average daily high temperatures for each day. One needs not travel far south of Iowa to find such locations as Kirksville and Columbia, Missouri. Plenty of heat and humidity will be present on Thursday and into Friday.
Voting:
Good: 8
Bad: 1
Tags: may18
Hot May Saturday
27 May 2018 06:41 AMThe heat is on for the Memorial Day weekend and temperatures on Saturday were some of the warmest on record for May. The featured table shows the hourly temperature reports from the Des Moines Airport and the previous May date with as warm or warmer temperature for that hour. The noon and 3 PM temperatures were the warmest on record, which dates back to the early 1930s for hourly temperature reports. Today will be even warmer yet with some locations taking a run at 100 degrees.
Voting:
Good: 5
Bad: 1
Tags: may18
May Precipitation Departures
24 May 2018 05:37 AMThe featured map depicts precipitation departures from average so far this May based on NOAA MRMS precipitation estimates and gridded long term climatology. Some areas of the state are depicted very wet, like most of Northern Iowa, and some areas are very dry. Of notice for locals to Ames is the dry area just to our northwest which includes much of the northern part of the city. As temperatures continue to warm and precipitation chances look rather meager, the areas that missed out on the rainfalls of May will be stressed even further.
Voting:
Good: 8
Bad: 1
Tags: may18
Besting May 1934
23 May 2018 05:32 AMAfter one of the coldest April's on record, the very next month of May is taking a run at being one of the warmest May's on record. The featured chart looks at scenarios for beating the current statewide warmest May of 1934, according to IEM unofficial accounting. This year's time series is appended with a scenario for each of the previous years during the 23 to 31 May period. None of these scenarios end up beating 1934, but the forecast has very warm temperatures as it will feel like summer to end the month.
Voting:
Good: 3
Bad: 1
Tags: may18
May Clouds
21 May 2018 05:34 AMThe featured chart is an attempt to show hourly cloud reports from the Des Moines Airport. The shared regions are based on reported cloud coverage amount and base level. The darkest region would indicate overcast conditions. Yesterday, on Sunday, clouds were rather low and created overcast conditions for most of the day. The chart nicely summarizes our May with two stretches of rather clear conditions and periods of mostly cloudy.
Voting:
Good: 8
Bad: 1
Tags: may18 clouds
Just 39
18 May 2018 05:34 AMAfter one of the coldest Aprils on record, temperatures this May have been very mild. The featured map displays the minimum 2018 May temperature based on IEM tracked long term climate sites. The coldest temperature you can find on this map is just 39 degrees. This ranks as one of the mildest May to date minimum temperature for Iowa on record since 1893. The current temperature outlook for the rest of the month looks to continue the mild temperatures with no significant cold in sight.
Voting:
Good: 10
Bad: 0
Tags: may18