It has been pretty evident for weeks that September was going to end up in the state record book for precipitation, the only question was the final total. State climatologist Justin Glisan says the preliminary numbers show a statewide average of about eight inches.
That puts the month in the top five.
Glisan says it takes a little time to collect all the local rainfall records, but he says it is certain that the capital city was very close to breaking the record.
Glisan says this was the third wettest month ever for Des Moines with the wettest month on record back in June 1881 at 15.79 inches. Glisan says the weather patterns aligned so there was plenty of moisture in the air, and conditions were right for it to fall.
All the rain overshadowed the temperatures in September, which averaged 69 degrees.
Glisan says previous strong El Nino events like the one we are in now did have warmer temperatures through fall along with near normal to slightly wetter conditions.
