Weather
Iowa-Illinois Weather: September Was Warm, Wet
Davenport, IA – September brought a sharp weather turnaround across eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois, starting with a heat wave before ending with heavy rain and more seasonable temperatures.
By Nolan Pierce · 2026-10-03T14:24:11.923Z
Davenport, IA – September brought a sharp weather turnaround across eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois, starting with a heat wave before ending with heavy rain and more seasonable temperatures.
According to the National Weather Service Quad Cities, temperatures for the month finished well above average across the area. A heat wave during the first week helped push September temperatures about 4 to 7 degrees above normal.
Burlington, Iowa, tied for its sixth warmest September on record, while Moline, Illinois, recorded its 10th warmest, the NWS said in its monthly review released Oct. 2.
Conditions changed substantially toward the end of September. Two storm systems brought inches of rain to parts of the region, with some locations receiving between 150% and 300% of their normal September precipitation.
Cedar Rapids recorded its third wettest September, while Dubuque had its ninth wettest, according to the weather service.
Maps provided by the High Plains Regional Climate Center show the monthly differences across the region. Temperatures were above normal throughout the NWS Quad Cities forecast area, with the largest departures generally occurring farther south.
Rainfall varied more sharply by location. Much of eastern Iowa and portions of northwest Illinois finished wetter than normal, while areas farther south and southeast received a smaller percentage of their typical September precipitation.
Overall, September featured two distinct periods: an unusually warm and relatively dry beginning followed by a wetter, more seasonable finish.