DES MOINES, Iowa — The year 2024 proved to be a record-breaking year for weather in the state, from a mild winter to a stormy spring to a summer that finally brought a years-long drought to an end.

January started the year with brutal cold and intense snowfalls. It ended up ranking as the second snowiest January on record with 27.2″ of snow picked up in Des Moines. Just over 22″ of snow was picked up in a five-day period from January 8 to January 12! Extreme cold then flooded into the state for the next week or so. The rest of the winter ended up quite mild and with little snowfall.

Above all, 2024 will likely be remembered for its devastating tornadoes. The year ended up producing the most tornadoes in the state on record, with 125 confirmed tornadoes.

The season started out active, with two major tornado outbreaks in April, on the 16th and on the 26th. The April 26th outbreak will be remembered for the powerful EF-3 tornado that moved through Minden, which was also the widest tornado of the year. Another strong tornado, an EF-2 moved through Pleasant Hill, causing damage in the eastern part of the Des Moines metro.

Another large tornado outbreak occurred on May 21st. This outbreak produced the powerful EF-4 tornado that struck Greenfield, killing five people. Another EF-2 tornado impacted northern parts of the Des Moines metro and later moved into Story County.

In total, the 2024 tornadoes caused 44 injuries and 6 deaths in Iowa. Nearly 720 miles of Iowa land were impacted by tornadoes.

One positive impact of the spring storms: the drought finally came to an end. 2024 was the first time since 2019 that precipitation was near or above normal in central Iowa. After a busy spring, conditions dried out a bit in early June before wet weather returned. Precipitation amounts in Des Moines remained above average until the fall months.

The year ended on an average note with average temperatures in December but below average snowfall.

There are some signs 2025 could be another active year, both for storms and snowfall. Stay tuned and know that the WHO 13 Weather Team will have you covered for whatever comes our way!