Extreme heat hits Ringgold County
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By Jeff Snyder
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — The first week of September in Ringgold County and the rest of southwest Iowa, more closely resembled the first week of August in Arizona with temperatures averaging nearly 20 degrees above the normal for this time of year.
Last Wednesday, the temperature topped out at 99 degrees. Extreme temperatures forced the announcement of early closure for the Diagonal School District each day last week. Outdoor events were delayed or canceled all together. Fortunately after this coming week the long range forecast is calling for some relief and closer to fall like temperatures.
The unusual current temperatures are being blamed on a number of possibilities the most widely accepted is the super El Nino, that is churning away in the Pacific Ocean. The water temperatures in this, the largest of all the oceans, is responsible for a variety of weather anomalies that last well into the future seasons of the year.
Super El Ninos, as this one is being referred to, is an unusual warming of the upper water layer along the equator which can lead to a reversal of wind patterns typically seen in the region. Along with these higher than normal water temperatures, El Ninos have a dramatic effect on the jet streams which are the prevailing upper atmosphere winds that carry weather patterns west to east in the western hemisphere.
Typically, this means a shift of the jet stream to the south, which creates a warmer than average temperature shift for the upper Midwest. Translation: warmer dryer winter for Iowa. Guarantee outcome? Sorry there is no such thing when it come to Midwest weather. Although there are advantages to this type of weather pattern there are also drawbacks that come into play as the planting season nears the following year. Ground moisture levels that rely or a certain amount of snow melt can create an early drought like condition that impacts outcomes as the planting season if snowfall totals are dramatically lower than normal.
Weather prognostication is a heavily scrutinized science in the agriculture-focused Midwest. The Farmers Almanac — long known for its over the horizon predictions — has forecast that there could be some cold snaps and some dry periods along with some heavier snow fall events during the 2026-27 winter period. In other words — winter is coming, and it might get cold. Don’t sell your shovel just yet.
