This Day In Weather History May 29
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
1965: Unusually cold weather resulted in frost and freezing temperatures across much of the northern half of Iowa on the mornings of May 28th and 29th. On the 29th reported low temperatures included 31 F at Grundy Center and Oelwein, 30 F at Decorah and Grinnell, 29 F at Anamosa, Fayette, and Waterloo, 27 F at Saratoga, and 23 F at Independence.
1947: On the morning after the incredible snow storm of May 28th high pressure moved across Iowa, providing light winds and clear skies with snowpack in place across much of the state. This resulted in the latest general spring freeze on record in Iowa with freezing temperatures especially prevalent across about the northwestern two thirds of the state. Low temperatures recorded that morning included 23 F at Cherokee and Primghar, 25 F at Le Mars and Spencer, 26 F at Ida Grove and Sioux Rapids, 27 F at Sioux City, 28 F at Audubon, Denison, Elkader, Grundy Center, and Logan, and 32 F at Des Moines. At numerous locations across Iowa including Des Moines this remains the latest spring freeze on record.
1934: What would become one of the hottest summers on record in Iowa began to intensify as the temperature exceeded 100 F at numerous locations around the state. At Des Moines the temperature reached 104 F which remains the earliest date on which a 100 F or higher temperature has been recorded at that location. Other high temperatures included 104 F at Little Sioux and Pocahontas, 105 F at Knoxville and Winterset, and 106 F at Carroll and Guthrie Center. Amazingly this searing heat came only two days after unseasonably cool temperatures had settled across Iowa, with low temperatures of 42 F at Decorah and 38 F at Cedar Rapids and Olin on the morning of the 27th.
