Summer 2025 recap: Wet and warmer than average in central Iowa

This past season was the Des Moines area's wettest in 10 years

This past season was the Des Moines area's wettest in 10 years

ACCORDING TO ZANE, BUT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT A VERY WET SUMMER THAT JUST ENDED. BEN NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO LOOKING IN THE REARVIEW. I GUESS I’M NOT READY TO PUT IN THE PAST. YEAH, WE’RE LOOKING BACK. SUMMER IS OVER. WE GOT THROUGH THE THREE MONTHS THAT MAKE UP METEOROLOGICAL SUMMER, JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST. REMEMBER, EVERYBODY WAS TALKING. REMEMBER HOW WET IT WAS AT VARIOUS POINTS THIS SUMMER? WELL, ACTUALLY, MAINLY IT WAS JUST IN JULY, ACTUALLY, JUNE AND AUGUST WERE BOTH DRIER THAN NORMAL IN MOST OF CENTRAL IOWA. LET’S PUT SOME NUMBERS TO THAT. SO THROUGH THE LAST THREE MONTHS, 19TH WETTEST SUMMER HERE IN THE DES MOINES AREA, ALMOST 17IN WORTH OF RAINFALL. THAT’S A LITTLE LESS THAN FOUR INCHES ABOVE THE NORM. SO IT BRINGS US TO NOT QUITE JUST INSIDE THE TOP 20, I SHOULD SAY, OUT OF ABOUT 150 OR SO YEARS WORTH OF RECORDS. ALSO WARMER THAN AVERAGE BY A LITTLE OVER A DEGREE, AS MANY OF OUR RECENT SEASONS HAVE BEEN. IT VARIED A LOT, THOUGH, ACROSS THE STATE RAINFALL WISE HERE. LOOK AROUND THE DARKER BLUE COLORS MEANS YOU HAD MORE RAINFALL. YOU HEADED UP TOWARDS LIKE THE HIGHWAY 34, THE HIGHWAY 30 CORRIDOR. I SHOULD SAY SOME PLACES GOT UPWARDS OF 25, 26, 27IN WORTH OF RAIN, SO ABOUT TEN INCHES MORE THAN AROUND THE METRO AREA. SOUTHWEST IOWA. BY COMPARISON, WAS FAIRLY DRY, ONLY GETTING 12 OR 13IN WORTH OF RAIN IN PLACES LIKE BEDFORD AND CORNING AND CRESTON AND SO ON. SO NOT EVERYBODY HAD A REAL WET SUMMER, WHICH IS OFTEN THE CASE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SO

Updated: 11:50 AM CDT Sep 2, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Summer 2025 recap: Wet and warmer than average in central Iowa

This past season was the Des Moines area's wettest in 10 years

Updated: 11:50 AM CDT Sep 2, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

With the arrival of September, meteorological summer is now in the books. In Central Iowa, the past season was a wet one. The Des Moines area received 16.99 inches of precipitation from June through August — nearly 30% more than average. That makes this summer the metro area's 19th wettest since records began in the 1870s. Record July rainfall, but lots of variationThe wet summer was mainly driven by exceptional rainfall in July. That month ended up being Des Moines' soggiest July in history. By comparison, June and August were both drier than average.The heavy rains also didn't hit all of Iowa equally. Portions of north-central Iowa absorbed more than 25 inches of rain over the past three months.In contrast, southwestern parts of the state were actually drier than normal.Another warm season Summer 2025 was also warmer than normal in central Iowa. Des Moines' summer temperatures ran 1.2 degrees above the 1991-2020 average. That marks 11 straight summers warmer than normal.Meteorological vs. astronomical seasonsWhile meteorological summer is now done, astronomical summer continues until the fall equinox on Sept. 22.Astronomical seasons center around the equinoxes and solstices, which vary slightly from year to year.Meteorological seasons follow calendar months, which are more consistent for recordkeeping.The three warmest months of the year are summer (June to August), the three coldest months of the year are winter (December to February), and the three months in between are spring and fall.

DES MOINES, Iowa —

With the arrival of September, meteorological summer is now in the books.

In Central Iowa, the past season was a wet one.

The Des Moines area received 16.99 inches of precipitation from June through August — nearly 30% more than average.

That makes this summer the metro area's 19th wettest since records began in the 1870s.

Hearst Owned

Summer stats for the Des Moines area.

Record July rainfall, but lots of variation

The wet summer was mainly driven by exceptional rainfall in July. That month ended up being Des Moines' soggiest July in history.

By comparison, June and August were both drier than average.

The heavy rains also didn't hit all of Iowa equally.

Iowa Environmental Mesonet

Summer rainfall across Iowa.

Portions of north-central Iowa absorbed more than 25 inches of rain over the past three months.

In contrast, southwestern parts of the state were actually drier than normal.

Another warm season

Summer 2025 was also warmer than normal in central Iowa.

Des Moines' summer temperatures ran 1.2 degrees above the 1991-2020 average.

That marks 11 straight summers warmer than normal.

Meteorological vs. astronomical seasons

While meteorological summer is now done, astronomical summer continues until the fall equinox on Sept. 22.

Astronomical seasons center around the equinoxes and solstices, which vary slightly from year to year.

Meteorological seasons follow calendar months, which are more consistent for recordkeeping.

The three warmest months of the year are summer (June to August), the three coldest months of the year are winter (December to February), and the three months in between are spring and fall.

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