IEM Daily Feature
Saturday, 01 May 2021

Hot and Dry Combination

Posted: 01 May 2021 08:35 PM

Iowa's weather on May Day 2021 was nothing short of exceptional with hot temperatures and low dew points. The combination of high temperature and low dew point was unprecedented for some Iowa sites as shown by the featured table. The table presents the hourly maximum temperature report, the dew point at that hour for May 1, 2021 and then the previous number of hours on record and the most recent date with a comparable combination (having at least as warm a temperature and as low a dew point). The dry April contributed to this combination as dry soils heat more quickly and don't have available water to transpire into the atmosphere which would boost dew pionts. It was also very windy making for dangerous fire weather conditions. May Day was basically "High Plains" summer weather visiting Iowa!

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