- Historical Weather: On October 23, 1908, southwestern Iowa received significant early snowfall—up to 11 inches in Clarinda
- Current Frost Event: 57 of 160-200 weather stations recorded temperatures at or below 32°F this week, though not considered meteorologically "widespread"
- Weather Forecast: Stable pattern for next few days, then rain chances Sunday night through Tuesday (0.5-1+ inches expected across most of the state)
- Temperature Outlook: Warmer than normal for late October/early November; synoptic-scale flow patterns emerging
- Climate Prediction Center: Slight warm signal and near-normal precipitation for Oct 30-Nov 5; Iowa is in climatologically driest time of year
- Frost Timing Discussion: Average first 32°F freeze occurs early October in northern Iowa, mid-October in central Iowa, and late October in southern Iowa—this year's frost came slightly later than average
- Crop Updates: Time to harvest sweet potatoes after frost damage; garlic planting research shows August 30 plantings can yield better than traditional Halloween planting
- Winter Outlook: La Niña conditions suggest increased variability with potential for polar vortex outbreaks, especially in second half of January and February; Minnesota may see patterns similar to 2013-2014 winter
- Snowfall Predictions: Team made guesses for first 1-inch snowfall at Des Moines airport (average date: Nov 26-Dec 3)
summary generated using claude.ai
