Weather History & Current Conditions (December 18, 2025)

• Historic perspective: December 18, 1976 saw unseasonably warm temps reaching 64°F in Des Moines
• Recent pattern shift from active Alberta Clippers bringing light, fluffy snow to warmer, drier conditions
• Flash freeze warning for today as cold front passes through with potential snow squalls

White Christmas Outlook

• Historical probabilities: Rock Rapids (70%), Des Moines (39%), Fort Madison (30%)
• 2025 forecast: Unlikely for white Christmas anywhere in Iowa due to warming trend and dry forecast through month's end
• Reflects broader trend of warming winters and transition from snow to rain/mixed precipitation

Climate Forecast

• Next 7 days: Unseasonably warm (40s) and dry as polar vortex retreats north
• 6-14 day outlook: Strong signal for above-normal temps and dry conditions across western Iowa
• January-March: Equal chances on temperature, lean wet for eastern Iowa quarter
• Spring outlook: Potential transition to ENSO neutral conditions (70% probability), similar to pleasant spring 2025?

December Snow Recap

• Fourth snowiest November on record for some stations
• Keokuk Lock and Dam (records since 1894) and Toledo (records since 1884) saw snowiest November-December period
• Multiple Alberta Clippers dropped 2-3 inches each, totaling 5-7 inches statewide
• December 14th storm caused I-80 closures and treacherous driving conditions

Specialty Crop Updates

• Melcast System: Fungicide timing tool for melon growers will be available for Iowa locations (web-based platform from Indiana)
• Caterpillar Tunnels: Rolling Acres Produce Supply in Drakesville now manufacturing local tunnel kits with prefab end walls with doors
• Great Lakes Expo Recap: Major Midwest fruit/vegetable conference in Grand Rapids
• Annual Strawberry Production: New technique shared—rooting bare-root plants in plug trays for 6 weeks before July 15th planting optimizes yield and reduces runner management

Upcoming

• Last episode of 2025
• Live recording at Iowa Specialty Producers Conference, February 24th in Ankeny
• January episode will come, but unknown date right now.

Podcast summary generated using claude.ai

Weather Forecast & Outlook:

• Alberta Clipper brings nose dive in temperatures with wind chills in negative teens to negative 20s
• Quiet storm track ahead with possible flurries Saturday night
• December outlook: below normal temperatures for entire state, slightly below normal precipitation for southern/western Iowa

Recent Weather Highlights:

• Recent snowstorm (8.5" statewide average) makes November rank as 5th snowiest on record
• Fort Dodge recorded up to 16.5 inches of snow
• November and fall 2025 both ran about 3-4°F above average
• 7th warmest fall in 153 years of record

Specialty Crop Impacts:

• Managing overwintered greens in high tunnels during frigid temperatures - use supplemental heat, and internal covers
  • When growing greens for overwintering in warm fall weather, aggressively vent tunnel warmth to slow crop growth.
• Strawberry mulching timing and techniques - wait for dormancy (several nights around 20°F) before applying straw or row cover

This Day in Weather History:

• December 2-3, 1990: Major snowstorm dropped 6-15" across Iowa with blizzard conditions
• Winds gusted to 69 mph at Cresco
• University of Iowa bubble dome collapsed under heavy snow, causing $2 million in damage

Other Topics:

• Iowa corn and soybean yields hit record highs (215 bu/acre corn, 65 bu/acre soybeans)
• Discussion of July cloudiness and potential impacts on melon yields in southeast Iowa

Weather Forecast:

• Big winter cooldown coming this weekend with lows in the teens and highs in the upper 20s-low 30s
• Potential snowfall of 1-5 inches across northern Iowa Saturday into Sunday
• Temperatures warming back to the 50s early next week
• Leaning warmer and slightly wetter pattern continues in 8-14 day outlook (Nov 13-19)

Historical Weather:

• Looking back at the November 6, 1990 snowstorm that brought up to 8.5 inches of snow and a record low of -1°F

Recent Conditions:

• Six consecutive weeks of above-average temperatures ended with near-normal conditions at the end of October
• Western Iowa received a quarter of its monthly precipitation in just two days
• Fall foliage peaked with recent windy conditions

Specialty Crop Impacts:

• Urgent: Harvest root crops (carrots, beets, radishes) before weekend freeze
• Protect lettuce with low tunnels; spinach and garlic can withstand cold
• Venting strategies for high and low tunnels to prevent moisture buildup and acclimate crops to cold
• Plant garlic now if you haven't already
• Tips on heating high tunnels for winter production

Looking Ahead: The podcast moves to a monthly schedule for the winter with the next episode on Wednesday, December 3rd.