This Day in Weather History October 17
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
1998: Rain fell across parts of Iowa on October 14-17 with the heaviest rain recorded in southeastern Iowa on the 17th when Burlington measured 4.39 inches in 24 hours. Burlington would finish the month with a total of 8.62 inches and in terms of statewide average rainfall this was the wettest October in Iowa since 1984.
1898: An early season winter storm struck western Iowa on October 16-18. Precipitation began as heavy rain on the 16th then by the morning of the 17th changed to snow that continued through the night and into the morning of the 18th as the storm moved eastward, with strong northwest winds producing near blizzard conditions with very low visibilities in some areas. Surface temperatures remained above freezing throughout the event so much of the snow melted as it fell, but at some locations the snow fell so heavily that it managed to accumulate on the ground. At Alta 6.0 inches of snow was measured and it was noted by the observer that the accumulation would probably have been doubled had so much of the snow not melted on contact. Elsewhere 2.0 inches of snow was reported at Ogden, 4.0 inches at Bedford and Humboldt, and an amazing 10.0 inches at Logan.
