This Day in Weather History January 30

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

2002: What had been one of the driest Januarys on record in Iowa was broken up by a winter storm that produced snowfall across the state from January 30-31. The snow was heaviest across southern and southeastern Iowa where storm total accumulations ranged between 11 and 13 inches along and south of a line from Chariton through Ottumwa to Wapello and Burlington. The highest reported totals were 13.2 inches at Leon and 13.0 inches at Bloomfield and Fairfield.

1951: Bitterly cold air settled across Iowa sending temperatures plummeting to record levels. Reported low temperatures included -36 F at Guttenberg, -38 F at Fayette, -40 F at Elkader and Saratoga, and -43 F at Decorah, a level which has only been reached a handful of times in recorded Iowa history.