Why Has It Been So Windy In Iowa Lately?

Weather in the Midwest is something else.

I grew up on the East Coast where the winters could be absolutely brutal, especially in the Pocono Mountains and in Upstate New York.

You know those old people who would tell you every single time you had a snow day,

"Well, when I was a kid, we had to walk uphill for miles in ten feet of snow!"

Yeah...that's me.

Lake effect snow would wreak havoc on our streets in college, but we still had to go to class.

However, nothing I've experienced before can compare to how ridiculous the wind in Iowa can be. Even Iowans recognize this!

You know the phrase that everyone here says, "it wouldn't be so bad, if it weren't for the wind!"

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It Wouldn't Be So Bad, If It Weren't For the Wind

The moment the snow melts, and spring rolls through the wind IMMEDIATELY seems to pick up.

Reports confirm this is not a coincidence.

This is all because of something called the "jet stream."

Warmer air goes north and cross paths with colder air from the winter. This causes tighter temperature gradients, aka wind!

Has It Been Windier Lately, Or Is It Just Me?

Well, if you've noticed the wind being extra...windy you are not alone.

Experts are confirming that we've seen a higher average of wind gusts over the month of April than normal.

According to the National Weather Service, we have been experiencing conditions that create major increases wind.

This month, the city of Cedar Rapids has seen fifteen days with wind gusts at 35 MPH or higher. That is 65% of the month!

Dubuque and Moline have seen similar numbers, with eleven of the days (48%) this past month having 35 MPH and over wind gusts.

Why Has This Been Happening?

Eastern Iowa has been experiencing major temperature differences. These changes in temperatures have lead to "deep weather systems."

If there are a whole lot of these systems and they are in a specific, active pattern then more wind is likely.

Or as those fancy scientists would call it, "tight pressure gradients."

Forecast For the Rest of the Week (April 24th, 2024)

According to our weather partners at KCRG, the winds will persist throughout the next few days. On Thursday (April 25th) the winds are set to pick up.

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