As we've been talking about, the pattern is going to be turning more active over the next two weeks. This is the time of year that we tend to experience more precipitation, on average. For example, here's the average precipitation in Cedar Rapids per month. Cedar Rapids averages 3" in April, 4" in May, near 5" in June and 4.5" in July and August. Unfortunately, these April showers will be bringing more than May flowers. It will bring bring flooding. Monday will be mild and qu

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It may be cool right now, but that will be changing once again. Temperatures are expected to be above normal over the next two weeks across all of the Midwest. As the mild air comes back there is snow that will be melting and draining into the rivers once again. That snowpack still holds several inches of water and will cause additional rises on the Mississippi. Minnesota has already lost a lot of snow that is flowing through the Mississippi now. Here's the current forecast f

The weekend ahead looks chilly and dry as high pressure builds across the Midwest behind a Great Lakes cutter. The associated jet stream flow at 500mb is strongly northwest. That brings unseasonably cool temperatures both Saturday and Sunday. These are the 5 day temperature departures ending April 4th. Here's the forecast highs Saturday which will be hard pressed to get out of the 30s. Normal for the date is 53-55. Adding a little insult will be the winds which could gust as

If you think the last year has been wet, you're right and I have the numbers to prove it. Much of the northern half of my area has measured 55 to 64 inches of precipitation. Some spots have had all-time wet months and even years. Many of us are living on a sponge. Looking at the departures below you can see that with the exception of Missouri and SC Iowa, much of Iowa and surrounding states are 10 or more inches above normal on precipitation the past 365 days. As you would ex