Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
Sac-Crawford-Carroll-Audubon-Guthrie-Dallas-Cass-Adair-Madison-Adams-Union-Taylor-Ringgold Counties….
300 AM CDT Sun Oct 5 2025

…Elevated Fire Danger Today …

WHAT…Breezy winds from the southwest at 20 to 25 mph with gusts to 30-35 mph, dry cropland, and low relative humidity in the mid to upper 30s will lead to elevated fire danger today.

IMPACTS…Any fires that ignite will spread rapidly, especially in cropland.

PREPAREDNESS AND PRECAUTIONARY ACTIONS…Burning is discouraged under these conditions. Also, take care to prevent the start of accidental fires when smoking or operating vehicles around dry crops.

Today: Sunny & windy. A high near 88. Winds S @ 15-35 mph. Elevated Fire Danger due to low humidity & high winds. Avoid open burning and be careful using equipment around crops or dry vegetation, which can quickly catch fire.
Tonight: Mostly clear & windy. Low around 63. S @ 15-30 mph.
Tomorrow: A chance of showers & thunderstorms during the afternoon. High near 83. S/SE winds 20-35 mph.
Tom. Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 52.New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Monday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 61. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Monday Night: A chance of showers & thunderstorms. A low around 47.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.

Friday’s High in Atlantic was 88. The Low was 56. Last year on this date (Oct. 4th), the High in Atlantic was 82 & the Low was 44. The Record High for Oct. 4th in Atlantic, was 90 in 1938 & 2005, & the Record Low was 20 in 1968. Sunrise: 7:19; Sunset:6:57.

Today: Sunny, with a high near 89. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 67. South wind 10-20 mph.
Tomorrow: Sunny & windy, with a high near 87. Winds South @ 15-35 mph.
Tom. Night: Mostly clear & breezy, with a low around 63. Winds S @ 15-30 mph.
Sunday: A slight chance of afternoon showers & thunderstorms; Mostly sunny & windy, with a high near 83.
Sun. Night: A 60% chance of showers & thunderstorms. A low around 53.
Monday: Showers likely & possibly a thunderstorm. A high near 65. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Monday Night: A 50% chance of showers. A low around 50.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.

Thursday’s High in Atlantic was 88. The Low was 55. Last year on this date (Oct. 3rd), the High in Atlantic was 83 & the Low was 44. The Record High for Oct. 3rd was 95 in 1997, & the Record Low was 23 in 2010. Sunrise: 7:18; Sunset: 7:00.

(Radio Iowa) – The calendar says October but Iowa’s forecast says August. The National Weather Service predicts much of the state will see high temperatures in the upper 80s today (Thursday), low 90s likely Friday and Saturday, with cooler weather moving in on Sunday. Highs the next few days may be 20 degrees hotter than average. State climatologist Justin Glisan says the just-ended month of September rounded out much warmer than usual, too. Glisan says, “If you look at the average temperature for all stations in Iowa, it’s 67-degrees, and that’s about three-and-a-half degrees above normal.” Along with the warmer weather, he says Iowa ended the month short on rainfall.

“The driest conditions were found in eastern Iowa and in pockets of northwestern Iowa,” Glisan says. “Overall, the preliminary average total for September was one-point-seven inches, and that’s almost one-and-three-quarter inches below average.” The month ends as the 25th warmest and driest September in Iowa history, based on 153 years of record keeping. As for the month ahead, Glisan predicts more of the same, at least for several days. “If you look at the short term outlooks through the middle of October, we’re seeing an elevated warm signal for much of the United States,” Glisan says, “but the warmest signal is centered across the central part of the United States, including much of Iowa.”

The forecast models also show the chances of rain picking up during the second week of October.

Today: Sunny, with a high near 85. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph this morning.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 62. South wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 88. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66. South wind 10- 20 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 86. Windy.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear & breezy, with a low around 64.
Sunday: Mostly sunny & windy, with a high near 82.
Sunday Night: A 30% chance of showers after midnight. A low around 52.
Monday: A 30% chance of showers before 1pm; Partly sunny, with a high near 68.

Wednesday’s High in Atlantic was 86. The Low was 55. Last year on this date (Oct. 2nd), the High in Atlantic was 78 & the Low was 45. The Record High for Oct. 2nd was 93 in 1892, & the Record Low was 18 in 1974. Sunrise: 7:17; Sunset: 7:02.

Today: Mostly cloudy early, then gradually becoming sunny. A high near 84. SE-S winds at 5-10 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 58. S/Se winds around 5 mph.
Tomorrow: Sunny, with a high near 86. SE-S winds 5-10 mph.
Tom. Night: Clear, with a low around 61.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 88.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66.
Saturday: Sunny & windy, with a high near 86.
Sat. Night: Partly cloudy & breezy, with a low around 64.
Sunday: Mostly sunny & windy, with a high near 82.

Tuesday’s High in Atlantic was 83. The Low was 55. Last year on this date (Oct. 1st), the High in Atlantic was 69  & the Low was 35. The Record High for Oct. 1st was 96 in 1892, & the Record Low was 23 in 1908 & 1984. Sunrise: 7:16; Sunset: 7:02.

(Radio Iowa, 9-30-25) – State Climatologist Justin Glisan says during a federal government shut down he and other state climatologists around the country will pitch in and cover some National Weather Service functions. “We’ve gone through this before. I just want to make sure that our National Weather Service office is covered in terms of what I can do,” Glisan said during an episode of “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS. “…I take more of the climate side of their operation.”

During a federal government shutdown, the National Weather Service will continue to produce forecasts and issue weather warnings, but there will likely be delays in processing data for long-term purposes and projects. Glisan said the current weather outlook over the next week or so indicates temperatures will remain warm and there are low chances for storms. “If we do have a government shut down — and I hate to say this — this would be the prime time to have it at the National Weather Service because it’s not as active as it could be,” Glisan said.

State Climatologist Justin Glisan on the “Iowa Press” set on Sept. 26, 2025. (Iowa PBS photo)

Glisan and other members of the American Association of Climatologists met in Kansas City in June and Glisan said they discussed potential budget cuts. “We discussed how we can provide our climate services without a budget, with no budget, with a low budget, how we can back each other up,” Glisan said. “I talk with the surrounding state climatologists on almost a daily basis because we coordinate the U.S. Drought Monitor depiction.”

Early this year, about 550 positions were cut at the National Weather Service after layoffs and early retirement offers initiated by the Department of Government Efficiency Elon Musk led. The federal agency that includes National Weather Service announced plans in August to hire to about 450 meteorologists, hydrologists and radar technicians. Glisan says he’s worried about morale in the National Weather Service. “Their mandate is the protection of life and property,” Glisan said. “…They’re not there to get rich. They’re not there to be famous. They’re there to protect us, so anything that I can do to back them up I do.”

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 84. Light southeast wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. Southeast wind 5 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 85. Wind S @ 5-10 mph in the morning.
Tom. Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58. South southeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 86.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 62.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 88.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66.

Monday’s High in Atlantic was 88. The Low was 50. Last year on this date (Sept. 30th), the High in Atlantic was 88 & the Low was 40. The Record High for Sept. 30th was 92 in 1994 & 2023, & the Record Low was 21 in 1984. Sunrise: 7:15; Sunset: 7:04.

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82. Wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tom. Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 86.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 86.

Sunday’s High in Atlantic was 88. The Low was 44. Last year on this date (Sept. 29th), the High in Atlantic was 88 & the Low was 43. The Record High for Sept. 29th was 96 in 1953 & the Record Low was 17 in 1899. Sunrise: 7:14; Sunset: 7:06.