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Iowa Snowmobilers Enjoy Fourth
Snowiest February on Record
by Harry Hillaker
State Climatologist
The most noteworthy aspect of February’s weather was heavy snowfall.
Measurable snow fell somewhere in the state on all but 8 days of the
month. The first of the larger events came on the 3rd when snow fell
across the southeast one-half of Iowa with 7 to 12 inches falling from
south central into east central Iowa. Just a few days later, snow fell over
the southeast three-fourths of the state with 7 to 16 inches accumulating
along a Creston to Dubuque line.
Snow fell over all but far southwest Iowa on the 11th-12th with 3 to 6
inches across northern Iowa. On the 14th snow fell across the northeast
one-quarter of Iowa with 8 inches at Decorah. Finally, the southeast two-
thirds of the state endured blizzard conditions on the 16th-17th with 3 to 6
inches of wind driven snow along a Creston to Decorah line.
Monthly snowfall totals reached 40.7 inches at Oskaloosa and 40.3 inches
at Lowden. These totals were just shy of the state record monthly
snowfall of 44.0 inches set at Red Oak in January 1936. At Maquoketa, a
total of 33.6 inches of snow fell in February. This not only easily set a
record for snowiest month at that location but pushed their seasonal
snowfall total to a record 66.6 inches (old record of 58.2 in 1974-
1975).
Snowfall totals were only near normal in western Iowa, thus resulting in a
statewide average snowfall of 15.6 inches for the month, 9.3 inches above
normal. This ranks as the fourth snowiest February in Iowa and 13th
snowiest calendar month among 121 years of records.
Snowiest February on Record
by Harry Hillaker
State Climatologist
The most noteworthy aspect of February’s weather was heavy snowfall.
Measurable snow fell somewhere in the state on all but 8 days of the
month. The first of the larger events came on the 3rd when snow fell
across the southeast one-half of Iowa with 7 to 12 inches falling from
south central into east central Iowa. Just a few days later, snow fell over
the southeast three-fourths of the state with 7 to 16 inches accumulating
along a Creston to Dubuque line.
Snow fell over all but far southwest Iowa on the 11th-12th with 3 to 6
inches across northern Iowa. On the 14th snow fell across the northeast
one-quarter of Iowa with 8 inches at Decorah. Finally, the southeast two-
thirds of the state endured blizzard conditions on the 16th-17th with 3 to 6
inches of wind driven snow along a Creston to Decorah line.
Monthly snowfall totals reached 40.7 inches at Oskaloosa and 40.3 inches
at Lowden. These totals were just shy of the state record monthly
snowfall of 44.0 inches set at Red Oak in January 1936. At Maquoketa, a
total of 33.6 inches of snow fell in February. This not only easily set a
record for snowiest month at that location but pushed their seasonal
snowfall total to a record 66.6 inches (old record of 58.2 in 1974-
1975).
Snowfall totals were only near normal in western Iowa, thus resulting in a
statewide average snowfall of 15.6 inches for the month, 9.3 inches above
normal. This ranks as the fourth snowiest February in Iowa and 13th
snowiest calendar month among 121 years of records.
