SCOTT TAYLOR'S

WEATHER PAGE

If you're not familiar with Iowa Weather, you may be surprised by the wide variety of conditions we experience. I've endured howling blizzards with 18 to 20 inches of snow, temperatures to -30°F, wind chills to -80°, and zero visibility. Six months later it could be 100°+ with dewpoints in the low 80's, making the simple act of stepping outside a draining experience. We're in tornado alley, so it's a rare spring and summer when we aren't under a warning for severe weather several times a season. And you may have heard about our little 500 year flood in 1993. Des Moines' water treatment plant was inundated by flood waters, making it the largest U.S. city ever to lose water service in that manner. Want to see what a 500 year flood looks like? Click on the photo for aerial photos taken by fomer WHO radio traffic reporter Captain Jack. This photo is Copyright 1997 Captain Jack and reproduced here by his kind permission. Captain Jack offers web hosting and many other services here. Follow the link to learn about the many services he offers.

Click on the photo to link to his album from the Flood of '93.

But don't get the idea that this is some God-forsaken, disaster plagued purgatory of weather. Iowa has a subtle beauty best displayed in late spring and early fall when we're between the extremes. Spring comes as such a relief as the dreariness of winter melts off and drains away, when grey, dirty snow is replaced by the vibrant greens of emerging fauna and the rich, black soil of the world's best farmland being readied for planting. And in fall, the colors put rainbows to shame. Here the spectrum of leaves is accented by the gold of the crops just before harvest on a mild autumn day.

NOAA Weather Radio serves the virtually entire state of Iowa. More stations are in the works.Special Weather Radio receivers are required. They are inexpensive and widely available. Look for a radio with an alarm feature. In the event of severe weather, the station will send a special tone which will either trigger an alarm or automatically turn on the radio or both. This feature may save your life, especially if a storm warning is issued while you're sleeping. Here's a list of stations and frequencies that currently serve Iowa.

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