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

Rome

112 people, 610 ft above sea level in Henry County.

610 ftElevation, city center
112People, 2024 estimate
0 sq miLand area
Sunny 45°
Sunny now Dew point 25° · NNW 3 mph · high 41°
City of Rome River Interstate 2 miles
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The Rome 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 Rome

NWS forecast and National Blend of Models · updated 4:00 PM CST
RIGHT NOW Burlington Regional Airport (KBRL) · 3:53 PM
Sunny
45° Sunny Feels like 44° · high of 41° near 4 PM
WindNNW 3 mphno gusts
Humidity45%rising to 88% by morning
Pressure30.30 in →steady
Visibility10 mihaze-free
CloudsClear
UV index—no forecast
Dew point 25° · Dry35° by Tuesday: more humid
DryComfortableStickyMuggyOppressive
NEXT RAIN
Partly cloudy
Friday30% chance · showers
LIKELY AMOUNT—amounts come within 3 days
LAST RAINNov. 50.06 in · 9 dry days
ALERTS & OUTLOOKS
No watches or warnings for Henry County
NWS Quad Cities and the Storm Prediction Center · checked 4:45 PM
SUN & MOON
↑ 6:53 AM4:49 PM ↓
9 h 56 m of daylight, 2 minutes less than yesterday
Waxing crescent, 26% lit. Next full moon: Nov. 24.
AIR & POLLEN
90
MODERATEAir quality index · fine particles
Tomorrow: 40, good. 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
4p
7p
10p
1a
4a
7a
10a
1p
4p
7p
10p
1a
4a
7a
10a
1p
4p
7p
10p
1a
4a
7a
10a
1p
clear night
clear night
clear night
clear night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy day
mostly sunny
clear night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
clear night
clear night
clear day
clear day
mostly sunny
mostly clear night
clear night
clear night
clear night
mostly clear night
mostly sunny
clear day
clear day
TEMPERATURE °F
41°
28°
49°
31°
52°
35°
CHANCE OF RAIN
50%
WIND, MPH
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
6
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5
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HOW IT FEELS · DEW POINT
Dry: dew points 25 to 35°

The next seven days, and how sure we are

Forecast, with the range 8 in 10 ensemble members agree on Normal, about 50° / 33°
SAT Nov. 14 Sunny Sunny
41° 27°
0% rain — W 0 A
SUN Nov. 15 Partly cloudy; warmer Partly cloudy; warmer
51° 29°
0% rain — N 0 A
MON Nov. 16 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
54° 34°
0% rain — SSW 5 A
TUE Nov. 17 Sunny Sunny
57° 38°
0% rain — SSE 8 A
WED Nov. 18 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
59° 48°
20% rain — S 12 B
THU Nov. 19 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
62° 46°
20% rain — W 5 C
FRI Nov. 20 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
63° 52°
30% rain — SSE 10 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 Rome about 5,000 feet above the ground was over the Canadian Prairies three days ago, and over the central Plains a day ago, about 1,400 miles back along its path. The nine paths traced from around the city fan out, so treat that as a best guess. Near the ground the air came from the Canadian Prairies; at 10,000 feet, from the northern Rockies. It has stayed over land, which is why it feels dry. Traced back 72 hours through NOAA’s hourly RAP analyses and the GFS beyond them, nine paths at each of three heights.

THIS WEEK IN 1959 Nov. 17, 1959

The coldest this week has been

−3° on Nov. 17, 1959, the coldest reading for this week of the year since 1893. Next is 1° in 1901.

1°
−3°
19011959
Source: NOAA RCC-ACIS, the Mount Pleasant 1 SW record since 1893.
MILE2
THE GROUND

What Rome stands on

Rome’s center stands about 610 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 570 ft to 730 ft, a difference of 160 ft: gently rolling country.

Under the town center the state geologic map shows St. Louis and Pella Formations (dolostone, limestone), from the Middle Mississippian to Late Mississippian, 324 to 347 million years old.

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

Rome, cut in half from northwest to southeast

A section northwest to southeast, 24 miles through the town center
600 ft700 ft ROME610 ftHigh point of the line790 ft ← NWSE →

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

St. Louis and Pella Formations

Dolostone, limestone. Age: Middle Mississippian to Late Mississippian, 324 to 347 million years old. About 17 mi of 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 5 mi of the line.

Augusta Group

Dolostone, limestone. Age: Early Mississippian to Middle Mississippian, 331 to 359 million years old. About 3 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 Rome’s rain goes

A raindrop that lands in Rome reaches the Gulf of America by way of the Skunk and the Mississippi: about 1,410 river miles.

THE WAY DOWN, TO SCALE
Rome≈ 1,410 mi · the Gulf of America
FROM THE CENTER OF ROME ≈ 1,410 mi to the Gulf of America Skunk → Mississippi

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

MILE5
THE ALMANAC

Rome’s year

1991–2020 normals · records since 1893 · Mount Pleasant 1 SW, 5 mi east-southeast

Rome has a hot-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 85° in July; winter nights fall to about 13° in January. A normal year brings about 25 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 38 inches of water.

31°13°37°17°49°27°63°38°72°49°81°58°85°62°83°60°77°52°64°41°50°29°37°18° JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 123 TODAY ROME 38.4 in rain and snowmelt
Normal high to low, by month Record high to low, by day Rain by month Freezing
July, average85° / 62°high / low, the warmest month
January, average31° / 13°high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow38.4 inwettest months: June and May
Snow a year24.8 insnowiest: January
Hottest on record114°FJuly 15, 1936
Coldest on record−27°FJanuary 31, 2019
Wettest day on record7.20 inJune 10, 1905
Snowiest day on record12.0 inFebruary 2, 2011
Climate typeHot-summer humid continentalKöppen Dfa

AROUND THE RING

1Highs below freezingDec. 30 to Jan. 31; normal highs stay below 32°
2Lows below freezingNov. 6 to April 1; normal lows fall below 32°
3Wettest stretchMay through July: 14.5 of the year’s 38.4 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Rome normally reaches 50° and falls to 29°. The record high is 74°, in 1990; the record low 3°, in 2019. The most rain on this date, 1.40 in, fell in 1899.

MONTH BY MONTH
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Normal high31°37°49°63°72°81°85°83°77°64°50°37°
Normal low13°17°27°38°49°58°62°60°52°41°29°18°
Rain and melt, in1.421.682.313.915.055.114.363.854.132.902.051.68
Snow, inches7.27.12.81.10.00.00.00.00.00.00.56.1
Record high68° (2012)79° (2024)90° (2026)92° (1930)102° (1934)102° (1988)114° (1936)108° (1934)101° (2000)96° (1953)81° (1933)74° (2021)
Record low−27° (2019)−27° (1996)−15° (1962)9° (1982)23° (1931)36° (1902)43° (1967)38° (1915)23° (1942)9° (1925)−5° (1976)−25° (1989)

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1893 at Mount Pleasant 1 SW, 5 miles east-southeast, 110 ft higher. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.

MILE7
ON THE NETWORK

Around Rome on the Forecast Network

Neighboring plates

Burlington IA · 32 MI 32 miles southeast Ottumwa IA · 39 MI 39 miles west Cedar Rapids IA · 68 MI 68 miles north Des Moines IA · 108 MI 108 miles west Springfield IL · 135 MI 135 miles southeast St. Louis MO · 179 MI 179 miles southeast
FORECASTCITY
Map of Rome, Iowa. Explore the plate
IOWA · HENRY

Rome

112 people, 610 ft above sea level in Henry County.

610 ftElevation
112People
0 sq miLand
Sunny 45°
SunnyDew point 25°
1

Today in Rome

NEXT 15 HOURS
Now clear day 41° 0%
7p clear night 36° 0%
10p clear night 32° 0%
1a clear night 31° 0%
4a partly cloudy night 29° 0%
7a partly cloudy day 28° 0%
Partly cloudy
NEXT RAINFriday · 30%
→
Sat0%
Sunny Sunny
27
41
A
Sun0%
Partly cloudy; warmer Partly cloudy; warmer
29
51
A
Mon0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
34
54
A
Tue0%
Sunny Sunny
38
57
A
Wed20%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
48
59
B
Thu20%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
46
62
C
Fri30%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
52
63
C
Letters show how sure the forecast is: A, models agree; B, some spread; C, check back. Sample data.
THIS WEEK IN 1959 · NOV. 17, 1959

−3°, the coldest this week of the year has been since 1893.

2

What Rome stands on

Rome’s center stands about 610 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 570 ft to 730 ft, a difference of 160 ft: gently rolling country.

Rome, northwest to southeast Rome610 ftHigh point790 ft ← NWSE → 24 miles through the town center; vertical exaggeration about 122×. Colors: rock at the surface.
Elevation, center610 ft
Within 3 miles570 to 730 ft
Lie of the landGently rolling (160 ft of relief)
Rock at the surfaceSt. Louis and Pella Formations
Its ageMiddle Mississippian to Late Mississippian, 324 to 347 million years old
5

Rome’s year

Rome has a hot-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 85° in July; winter nights fall to about 13° in January. A normal year brings about 25 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 38 inches of water.

JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 123 38.4 in
July, average85° / 62° · high / low, the warmest month
January, average31° / 13° · high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow38.4 in · wettest months: June and May
Snow a year24.8 in · snowiest: January
Hottest on record114°F · July 15, 1936
Coldest on record−27°F · January 31, 2019
Wettest day on record7.20 in · June 10, 1905
Snowiest day on record12.0 in · February 2, 2011
Climate typeHot-summer humid continental · Köppen Dfa
1Highs below freezing · Dec. 30 to Jan. 31; normal highs stay below 32°
2Lows below freezing · Nov. 6 to April 1; normal lows fall below 32°
3Wettest stretch · May through July: 14.5 of the year’s 38.4 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Rome normally reaches 50° and falls to 29°. The record high is 74°, in 1990; the record low 3°, in 2019. The most rain on this date, 1.40 in, fell in 1899.

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1893 at Mount Pleasant 1 SW, 5 miles east-southeast, 110 ft higher. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.
3

Where the rain goes

≈ 1,410 mito the Gulf of AmericaSkunk → Mississippi

A raindrop that lands in Rome reaches the Gulf of America by way of the Skunk and the Mississippi: about 1,410 river miles.