Iowa History Daily: On September 24, 1942, the earliest measurable snow totals ever recorded in Iowa took place as a large winter storm pummeled the upper-Midwest. With totals reaching up to 9 inches across the region, Forest City in Winnebago County and Cerro Gordo County’s Mason City each recorded four inches to top totals throughout Iowa.
Unseasonable high temperatures in the 30s and 40s preceded the wide-ranging winter storm, averaging around 20 to 30 degrees below normal average temperatures. As a low pressure system gathered steam while moving southern Alberta and into North Dakota, the storm started to dump snow on unsuspecting Midwesterners.
Although many locations throughout Iowa saw snow melting before accumulating initially, as the storm stretched out and the low-pressure front stalled measurable totals accumulated throughout the state. A major challenge for farmers, the snow impacted soybean harvest particularly as combines struggled to take in the snow bent beans. Snow also damaged communications and electrical wiring throughout the state.
The storm claimed two victims in Iowa, both men from Calmar, killed when heavy snow downed a large tree across Highway 9 and poor visibility led to a fatal crash. Although the snow melted quickly as temperatures returned to normal the following week, the storm reminded Iowans winter was on the way. #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryCalendar
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