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December 4, 2012

Monday warmth shatters records

OTTUMWA — How warm was it Monday? Enough that multiple cities hit or tied record highs for the month.

The Ottumwa high of 71 shattered the old record of 64 for December 3. That record was set back in 1998. It tied the all-time record for December, also set in 1998.

Oskaloosa's high of 70 easily beat the old record of 65 degrees. Persistent flow of air from the south boosted Iowa's temperatures, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures rose so fast on Monday that Des Moines broke its daily record before 10 a.m.

The National Weather Service says the eastern two-thirds of Iowa broke daily records and many threatened the record high for December. But none quite came within range of the state's highest ever December temperature: 74 degrees. That record was set in Thurman, way back in 1939.

Normal daytime highs in early December are right around 40 degrees. While temperatures today won't reach as high as Monday, they will remain above 60 degrees. And, after a dip into the 40s on Wednesday, temperatures are expected to return to about 50 degrees on Thursday.

It will cool off after that. A chance of rain on Sunday becomes a chance of snow later that night.

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