Abstract
Monthly and annual rainfall totals were examined from five weather stations in and near the Cedar River watershed in eastern Iowa. The basin has headwaters in southern Minnesota and trends northwest to southeast across the eastern part of the state. Graphical presentation highlights noisy signals within these, with annual values showing increase of about 4 to 7 inches over the most recent 100 years. This information is presented without reference to correlation with broader climate signals to inform residents and policy makers of the increasing trend. Monthly totals show consistent increase April and June, with lesser increases in May, July, August and October. Cold months November through March contribute little to the increase, and September shows a slight to moderate decrease. In general, monthly series showed more noise beginning in the early 1950s. No direct connection to broader climate drivers is implied.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Potter, Lee S.
(2025)
"Increasing annual rainfall as recorded at five weather stations in the Cedar River watershed and adjacent, Eastern Iowa,"
The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon:
Vol. 94:
Iss.
2, Article 2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.62879/c13461383
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/compass/vol94/iss2/2
