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.