The month of May in Iowa was marked by severe storms and drastic swings in the temperature. State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says 13 tornadoes touched down last month across Iowa. “Which is actually average for us this time of year,” Hillaker said. Eight tornadoes hit parts of western Iowa on May 11th.

The town of Lenox sustained the most damage, but no one was killed or seriously injured. Five more tornadoes ripped through rural areas of northeast and east-central Iowa on May 22. Iowa’s already recorded 37 tornadoes in 2011. “That already exceeds the total for last year and (2009),” Hillaker said. “The normal annual total is 48, so we’re not quite to that point.”

In 2008, Iowa recorded 120 tornadoes that killed 13 people – primarily in Parkersburg and New Hartford and at a Boy Scout camp in western Iowa’s Harrison County. Hillaker says Iowans should remain on alert for severe weather in the weeks to come. “June, on average, is our busiest month of the year for tornadoes in Iowa,” Hillaker said.

The statewide average temperature in May turned out to be “normal,” according to Hillaker, but the month included extreme heat and cold. The hot spot was Jefferson – which hit 100-degrees on May 10. Just one week earlier, on May 3, the coldest temperature of 20-degrees was recorded in both Spencer and Sibley. Hillaker says the statewide average rainfall was 5.2 inches. Normal rainfall for May is 4.25 inches.

Here in Atlantic, we received 4.17-inches of rain in May, which is three-tenths of an inch above normal. Our average High was 72-degrees, which is 10-degrees cooler than normal. The hottest day was on May 10^th, when we hit 97-degrees. The average low was 48, which is about average for the month.

(Sources: Radio Iowa, NWS, KJAN weather records)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Strong thunderstorms rolled across Iowa, Tuesday, bringing strong winds, hail and heavy rain.

The National Weather Service says wind gusts of 60 mph were reported Tuesday afternoon near Jamaica in Guthrie County, where a grain bin and a shed were damaged. In central Iowa, power lines are down in Woodward. In Grimes, trees were snapped and a front porch was damaged.

Earlier Tuesday, storms dumped heavy rain in eastern Nebraska. In Omaha, up to a 1/2 inch fell around noon. In Atlantic, we received one-quarter of an inch of rain Tuesday, from about 1:30 to 2:15-p.m. The rain came down in sheets and was accompanied by brief, gusty winds. Overnight, through 5-a.m., we picked up an additional .97”, for a total of 1.22.”

Forecasters say a strong and slow-moving system is affecting the Midwest, and will continue to do so until tonight (Wednesday). A Wind Advisory will be in effect from 4-p.m. today through 4-a.m. Thursday, for Cass, Adair, Adams, Guthrie, Dallas, Madison, Taylor, Ringgold & Union Counties. Winds of 15-to 30 miles per hour, with gusts up to 45 can be expected in the Advisory area.

In addition, a Flood Advisory is in effect for the Missouri River affecting Douglas and Sarpy Counties in Nebraska, and Pottawattamie County, in Iowa until Monday morning….and, a Flood Warning is in effect for the Missouri River in Mills and Fremont Counties through at least Saturday morning.