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Shaded-relief map of New Sharon, Iowa: rivers, roads, the city limits and where the water drains.
IOWA · MAHASKA COUNTY

New Sharon

1,249 people, 880 ft above sea level in Mahaska County.

880 ftElevation, city center
1,249People, 2024 estimate
1 sq miLand area
Clear 38°
Clear now Dew point 26° · E 5 mph · high 38°
City of New Sharon River Interstate 2 miles
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The New Sharon plate. Relief from Copernicus GLO-30; rivers and lakes from USGS NHD; watersheds from the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset; roads and city limits from Census TIGER 2024.

MILE1
TODAY

Today in New Sharon

NWS forecast and National Blend of Models · updated 5:00 PM CST
RIGHT NOW Pella Municipal Airport (KPEA) · 6:35 PM
Clear
38° Clear Feels like 34° · high of 38° near 6 PM
WindE 5 mphno gusts
Humidity63%rising to 96% by morning
Pressure30.30 in →steady
Visibility10 mihaze-free
CloudsClear
UV index—no forecast
Dew point 26° · Dry37° by Tuesday: more humid
DryComfortableStickyMuggyOppressive
NEXT RAIN
Showers
Friday60% chance · showers
LIKELY AMOUNT—amounts come within 3 days
LAST RAINNov. 50.09 in · 9 dry days
ALERTS & OUTLOOKS
No watches or warnings for Mahaska County
NWS Des Moines and the Storm Prediction Center · checked 6:45 PM
SUN & MOON
↑ 6:58 AM4:52 PM ↓
9 h 54 m of daylight, 2 minutes less than yesterday
Waxing crescent, 27% lit. Next full moon: Nov. 24.
AIR & POLLEN
31
GOODAir quality index · fine particles
Tomorrow: None, moderate. No pollen source yet.

The next three days, hour by hour

Sky: clear, cloudy, night Rain likely National Blend of Models
SATURDAY, NOV. 14
SUNDAY, NOV. 15
MONDAY, NOV. 16
TUESDAY, NOV. 17
6p
9p
Mid
3a
6a
9a
Noon
3p
6p
9p
Mid
3a
6a
9a
Noon
3p
6p
9p
Mid
3a
6a
9a
Noon
3p
clear night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy day
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
mostly clear night
clear night
clear night
clear night
clear day
mostly sunny
partly cloudy day
mostly sunny
clear night
clear night
clear night
mostly clear night
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
TEMPERATURE °F
38°
25°
48°
29°
53°
36°
CHANCE OF RAIN
50%
WIND, MPH
3
3
1
0
0
0
5
3
4
5
5
5
5
8
10
10
8
8
8
8
8
10
13
12
HOW IT FEELS · DEW POINT
Dry: dew points 23 to 37° More humid: 37° by Tuesday

The next seven days, and how sure we are

Forecast, with the range 8 in 10 ensemble members agree on Normal, about 80° / 62°
SAT Nov. 14 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
38° 25°
0% rain — E 3 A
SUN Nov. 15 Partly cloudy; warmer Partly cloudy; warmer
51° 28°
0% rain — S 3 A
MON Nov. 16 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
55° 36°
0% rain — SSW 8 A
TUE Nov. 17 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
58° 41°
0% rain — SSE 10 A
WED Nov. 18 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
59° 48°
20% rain — S 13 B
THU Nov. 19 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
61° 45°
10% rain — W 5 C
FRI Nov. 20 Chance of showers Chance of showers
63° 53°
60% rain up to 0.4″ SSE 12 C
How sure are we? AModels agree: highs within 4° BSome spread: within 8° CWide spread: check back
Range from the National Blend of Models percentiles · graded on Forecast Scores
AIR MAIL

Where today’s air came from

The air arriving over New Sharon about 5,000 feet above the ground was over the Canadian Prairies three days ago, and over the central Plains a day ago, about 1,470 miles back along its path. Near the ground the air came from British Columbia; at 10,000 feet, from the northern Plains. It has stayed over land, which is why it feels dry. Traced back 72 hours through NOAA’s hourly RAP analyses, nine paths at each of three heights.

THIS WEEK IN 1999 Nov. 14, 1999

The hottest this week has been

78° on Nov. 14, 1999, the hottest reading for this week of the year since 1893. Next is 76° in 1948.

76°
78°
19481999
Source: NOAA RCC-ACIS, the Grinnell 3 SW record since 1893.
MILE2
THE GROUND

What New Sharon stands on

New Sharon’s center stands about 880 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 750 ft to 900 ft, a difference of 150 ft: gently rolling country.

Under the town center the state geologic map shows Lower Cherokee Group and Raccoon Creek Group (shale, sandstone, siltstone), from the Early Pennsylvanian to Middle Pennsylvanian, 307 to 324 million years old.

The section below crosses 3 rock units mapped at the surface.

New Sharon, cut in half from southwest to northeast

A section southwest to northeast, 24 miles through the town center
700 ft800 ft900 ft NEW SHARON880 ftSouth Skunk Riverabout 700 ftNorth Skunk Riverabout 760 ftHigh point of the line970 ft ← SWNE →

Heights every 0.1 mile from the Copernicus GLO-90 surface model; vertical exaggeration about 64×. The colored band under the surface is the rock the state geologic map shows at the surface, not a picture of what lies beneath.

Rock at the surface along the line

Lower Cherokee Group and Raccoon Creek Group

Shale, sandstone, siltstone. Age: Early Pennsylvanian to Middle Pennsylvanian, 307 to 324 million years old. About 15 mi of the line.

St. Louis and Pella Formations

Dolostone, limestone. Age: Middle Mississippian to Late Mississippian, 324 to 347 million years old. About 8 mi of the line.

Augusta Group

Dolostone, limestone. Age: Early Mississippian to Middle Mississippian, 331 to 359 million years old. About 2 mi of the line.

From the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation (Horton and others, 2017), the states’ geologic maps joined at a common scale.

Heights from Copernicus GLO-90 (a surface model: it includes buildings and tree canopy); summits from USGS GNIS; rivers from USGS NHDPlus HR; rock from the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation.

MILE3
THE WATER

Where New Sharon’s rain goes

A raindrop that lands in New Sharon reaches the Gulf of America by way of Middle Creek, the North Skunk, the Skunk and the Mississippi: about 1,520 river miles.

THE WAY DOWN, TO SCALE
New Sharon≈ 1,520 mi · the Gulf of America
FROM THE CENTER OF NEW SHARON ≈ 1,520 mi to the Gulf of America Middle Creek → North Skunk → Skunk → Mississippi

Traced down the USGS NHDPlus V2.1 river network from the Census center point of New Sharon; river miles along the main stem, rounded.

MILE5
THE ALMANAC

New Sharon’s year

1991–2020 normals · records since 1893 · Grinnell 3 SW, 18 mi north-northwest

New Sharon has a hot-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 83° in July; winter nights fall to about 10° in January. A normal year brings about 31 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 38 inches of water.

28°10°33°14°46°25°59°35°70°47°80°58°83°62°81°59°75°50°62°38°47°26°34°16° JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 1234 TODAY NEW SHARON 38.2 in rain and snowmelt
Normal high to low, by month Record high to low, by day Rain by month Freezing
July, average83° / 62°high / low, the warmest month
January, average28° / 10°high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow38.2 inwettest months: June and May
Snow a year31.0 insnowiest: February
Hottest on record110°FAugust 8, 1934
Coldest on record−35°FFebruary 4, 1996
Wettest day on record6.92 inAugust 5, 1970
Snowiest day on record12.0 inDecember 9, 2009
90° days a year11very few reach 100°
Nights at or below 32°156and 54 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeHot-summer humid continentalKöppen Dfa

AROUND THE RING

1Freeze seasonfrom the first fall freeze, about Oct. 3, to the last in spring, about May 6 (median dates)
2Highs below freezingDec. 20 to Feb. 14; normal highs stay below 32°
3Lows below freezingOct. 31 to April 8; normal lows fall below 32°
4Wettest stretchMay through July: 14.6 of the year’s 38.2 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 New Sharon normally reaches 47° and falls to 27°. The record high is 78°, in 1999; the record low −1°, in 1959. The most rain on this date, 1.21 in, fell in 1902.

MONTH BY MONTH
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Normal high28°33°46°59°70°80°83°81°75°62°47°34°
Normal low10°14°25°35°47°58°62°59°50°38°26°16°
Rain and melt, in1.101.552.223.905.095.533.964.373.713.211.951.60
Snow, inches9.09.13.40.60.00.00.00.00.00.51.56.9
Record high64° (2003)77° (2024)90° (2026)92° (1980)107° (1934)105° (1934)108° (1936)110° (1934)101° (1939)95° (1963)82° (1968)69° (1998)
Record low−34° (1974)−35° (1996)−17° (1962)1° (1982)19° (2005)35° (1993)40° (1972)36° (1950)21° (1984)2° (1925)−15° (1976)−32° (1985)

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1893 at Grinnell 3 SW, 18 miles north-northwest. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.

MILE7
ON THE NETWORK

Around New Sharon on the Forecast Network

Neighboring plates

Newton IA · 26 MI 26 miles northwest Ottumwa IA · 33 MI 33 miles south Des Moines IA · 50 MI 50 miles west Cedar Rapids IA · 61 MI 61 miles northeast Omaha NE · 177 MI 177 miles west Springfield IL · 196 MI 196 miles southeast
FORECASTCITY
Map of New Sharon, Iowa. Explore the plate
IOWA · MAHASKA

New Sharon

1,249 people, 880 ft above sea level in Mahaska County.

880 ftElevation
1,249People
1 sq miLand
Clear 38°
ClearDew point 26°
1

Today in New Sharon

NEXT 15 HOURS
Now clear night 38° 0%
9p mostly clear night 32° 0%
12a mostly clear night 28° 0%
3a mostly clear night 27° 0%
6a partly cloudy night 25° 0%
9a partly cloudy day 33° 0%
Showers
NEXT RAINFriday · 60%
→
Sat0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
25
38
A
Sun0%
Partly cloudy; warmer Partly cloudy; warmer
28
51
A
Mon0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
36
55
A
Tue0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
41
58
A
Wed20%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
48
59
B
Thu10%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
45
61
C
Fri60%
Chance of showers Chance of showers
53
63
C
Letters show how sure the forecast is: A, models agree; B, some spread; C, check back. Sample data.
THIS WEEK IN 1999 · NOV. 14, 1999

78°, the hottest this week of the year has been since 1893.

2

What New Sharon stands on

New Sharon’s center stands about 880 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 750 ft to 900 ft, a difference of 150 ft: gently rolling country.

New Sharon, southwest to northeast New Sharon880 ftSouth Skunk Riverabout 700 ftNorth Skunk Riverabout 760 ftHigh point970 ft ← SWNE → 24 miles through the town center; vertical exaggeration about 122×. Colors: rock at the surface.
Elevation, center880 ft
Within 3 miles750 to 900 ft
Lie of the landGently rolling (150 ft of relief)
Rock at the surfaceLower Cherokee Group and Raccoon Creek Group
Its ageEarly Pennsylvanian to Middle Pennsylvanian, 307 to 324 million years old
5

New Sharon’s year

New Sharon has a hot-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 83° in July; winter nights fall to about 10° in January. A normal year brings about 31 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 38 inches of water.

JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 1234 38.2 in
July, average83° / 62° · high / low, the warmest month
January, average28° / 10° · high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow38.2 in · wettest months: June and May
Snow a year31.0 in · snowiest: February
Hottest on record110°F · August 8, 1934
Coldest on record−35°F · February 4, 1996
Wettest day on record6.92 in · August 5, 1970
Snowiest day on record12.0 in · December 9, 2009
90° days a year11 · very few reach 100°
Nights at or below 32°156 · and 54 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeHot-summer humid continental · Köppen Dfa
1Freeze season · from the first fall freeze, about Oct. 3, to the last in spring, about May 6 (median dates)
2Highs below freezing · Dec. 20 to Feb. 14; normal highs stay below 32°
3Lows below freezing · Oct. 31 to April 8; normal lows fall below 32°
4Wettest stretch · May through July: 14.6 of the year’s 38.2 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 New Sharon normally reaches 47° and falls to 27°. The record high is 78°, in 1999; the record low −1°, in 1959. The most rain on this date, 1.21 in, fell in 1902.

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1893 at Grinnell 3 SW, 18 miles north-northwest. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.
3

Where the rain goes

≈ 1,520 mito the Gulf of AmericaMiddle Creek → North Skunk → Skunk → Mississippi

A raindrop that lands in New Sharon reaches the Gulf of America by way of Middle Creek, the North Skunk, the Skunk and the Mississippi: about 1,520 river miles.