The climatological summer of 2018 (June, July and August) will go into the record books as averaging a little warmer than normal for Iowa. June was the warmest month compared to normal, with a statewide average temperature 3.3 degrees above normal, while July was the coolest compared to normal at 0.4 degrees below normal. The statewide average for August should be a little above normal.

This summer was wetter overall in Iowa than I was expecting back in the spring. June rainfall was above normal in most of the state, with the statewide average amount 2.53 inches above normal. The trend shifted in ...