Iowa
2024 marks the hottest year in Iowa’s recorded history
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – If you stepped outside right now, you probably wouldn’t consider this warm weather.
But despite the snow on your windshield or ice on your driveway, this weather is much warmer than where it should be.
And State Climatologist Justin Glisan says this could have bigger effects than which jacket we wear.
“You put this year and last year together; the warmest two years on record for Iowa.” he said.
In 2024, Iowa’s temperature averaged just over 2 degrees warmer than normal, marking it the hottest year in Iowa’s records, which date back to 1872.
And while two degrees may not sound like a massive change, Glisan says it’s these small changes that can end up creating extreme weather.
“It’s kind of counterintuitive to say this, but with a warming winter, we do see more cold extremes, we do see more polar vortex outbreaks… Also on the flip side, more flash flooding, as I mentioned, more rainfall in the winter time.” he said.
And with these higher temps and increased risks for extreme weather, winter-based businesses, like Sundown Mountain Resort in Dubuque, have felt the burden.
“Last year was tough. If you’re in the ski industry, enduring the warmest winter ever record was tough… it was a fight to keep enough snow on the slopes to let our customers come out.” said Mark Gordon, General Manager of Sundown Mountain.
But Glisan says not all hope is lost.
While significant change will likely take collaboration between the public and private sector, he says simple steps like fixing a leaky faucet or investing in renewable energy can keep these numbers from climbing past the point of no return.
Copyright 2025 KCRG. All rights reserved.
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (KCRG) – On Wednesday, the governor of the state of Benue in Nigeria visited the Buchanan County Fair to learn more about Iowa’s agriculture.
The state is working to improve their farming systems and is using Iowa as a model to strive for.
Benue is known as the Food Basket of Nigeria but Governor Hyacinth Alia said its agriculture industry isn’t producing up to its full potential and is a hundred years behind Iowa in farming.
“Agriculture, it’s not just meant for sustenance. It is a full-fledged business. So why are we not cashing in on that? We are we not taking advantage of what we have if we have the soil? If we have the water?” Alia said.
That’s why he and his delegates came to visit Iowa – to learn how to increase its output of crops and livestock.
“This is quite a very new learning curve,” Alia said.
Alia said he was surprised to learn just how big some cattle breeds grow in only a year.
He said the cows in Benue are dwarves, so introducing a larger breed could mean more harvestable meat.
“Having one that could be new. Something that would be more productive and something that the livestock farmers would also benefit from and get more from, even commercially,” Alia said.
The delegation also had the chance to visit with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig to talk about strategies to improve crop seedlings to grow more produce and better animal feed.
Alia said he hopes to use Iowa as a model to make Benue’s agriculture even better for both its farmers and the rest of its six million population.
Copyright 2025 KCRG. All rights reserved.
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