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

Yale

265 people, 1,130 ft above sea level in Guthrie County.

1,130 ftElevation, city center
265People, 2024 estimate
0 sq miLand area
Sunny 46°
Sunny now Dew point 23° · S 6 mph · high 41°
City of Yale River Interstate 2 miles
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The Yale 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 Yale

NWS forecast and National Blend of Models · updated 4:00 PM CST
RIGHT NOW Des Moines International Airport (KDSM) · 3:54 PM
Sunny
46° Sunny Feels like 43° · high of 41° near 4 PM
WindS 6 mphno gusts
Humidity40%rising to 92% by morning
Pressure30.27 in →steady
Visibility10 mihaze-free
CloudsClear
UV index—no forecast
Dew point 23° · Dry35° by Tuesday: more humid
DryComfortableStickyMuggyOppressive
NEXT RAIN
Showers
Friday60% chance · showers
LIKELY AMOUNT—amounts come within 3 days
LAST RAINNov. 60.01 in · 8 dry days
ALERTS & OUTLOOKS
No watches or warnings for Guthrie County
NWS Des Moines and the Storm Prediction Center · checked 4:45 PM
SUN & MOON
↑ 7:05 AM4:58 PM ↓
9 h 52 m of daylight, 2 minutes less than yesterday
Waxing crescent, 26% lit. Next full moon: Nov. 24.
AIR & POLLEN
30
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
4p
7p
10p
1a
4a
7a
10a
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7p
10p
1a
4a
7a
10a
1p
4p
7p
10p
1a
4a
7a
10a
1p
clear night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
clear night
clear night
clear day
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
clear night
clear night
clear night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
TEMPERATURE °F
41°
24°
49°
30°
53°
38°
CHANCE OF RAIN
50%
WIND, MPH
5
5
3
1
0
3
6
7
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HOW IT FEELS · DEW POINT
Dry: dew points 22 to 35° More humid: 35° by Tuesday

The next seven days, and how sure we are

Forecast, with the range 8 in 10 ensemble members agree on Normal, about 49° / 31°
SAT Nov. 14 Sunny Sunny
41° 24°
0% rain — ESE 5 A
SUN Nov. 15 Partly cloudy; warmer Partly cloudy; warmer
51° 30°
0% rain — S 4 B
MON Nov. 16 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
55° 38°
0% rain — S 10 B
TUE Nov. 17 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
57° 43°
0% rain — S 14 A
WED Nov. 18 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
59° 48°
20% rain — S 16, gusts 25 B
THU Nov. 19 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
60° 45°
10% rain — WNW 6 C
FRI Nov. 20 Showers likely Showers likely
63° 53°
60% rain up to 0.5″ SSE 14 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 Yale about 5,000 feet above the ground was over British Columbia three days ago, and over the southern Plains a day ago, about 2,200 miles back along its path. Most of the nine paths traced from around the city agree. It came down from about 15,200 feet up, warming and drying as it sank. 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 1999 Nov. 14, 1999

The hottest this week has been

79° on Nov. 14, 1999, the hottest reading for this week of the year since 1895. Next is 75° in 1941.

75°
79°
19411999
Source: NOAA RCC-ACIS, the Guthrie Center record since 1895.
MILE2
THE GROUND

What Yale stands on

Yale’s center stands about 1,130 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 1,040 ft to 1,170 ft, a difference of 130 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.

Yale, cut in half from west to east

A section west to east, 24 miles through the town center
900 ft1,000 ft1,100 ft1,200 ft YALE1,130 ftHigh point of the line1,280 ftMiddle Raccoon Riverabout 1,040 ftNorth Raccoon Riverabout 950 ft ← WPerry · E →

Heights every 0.1 mile from the Copernicus GLO-90 surface model; vertical exaggeration about 54×. 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 16 mi of the line.

Dakata and Windrow Formations

Sandstone, shale. Age: Early Cretaceous to Late Cretaceous, 94 to 113 million years old. About 8 mi of the line.

St. Louis and Pella Formations

Dolostone, limestone. Age: Middle Mississippian to Late Mississippian, 324 to 347 million years old. About 0.6 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 Yale’s rain goes

A raindrop that lands in Yale reaches the Gulf of America by way of Bay Branch, the Middle Raccoon, the South Raccoon, the North Raccoon, the Des Moines and the Mississippi: about 1,600 river miles.

THE WAY DOWN, TO SCALE
Yale≈ 1,600 mi · the Gulf of America
FROM THE CENTER OF YALE ≈ 1,600 mi to the Gulf of America Bay Branch → Middle Raccoon → South Raccoon → North Raccoon → Des Moines → Mississippi

Lake on the way: Roberts Creek.

1,330 miles of the trip are on the Mississippi.

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

MILE5
THE ALMANAC

Yale’s year

1991–2020 normals · records since 1895 · Guthrie Center, 10 mi southwest

Yale has a hot-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 85° in July; winter nights fall to about 10° in January. About 37 inches of rain fall in a normal year.

30°10°35°14°48°25°61°36°72°48°82°59°85°63°83°60°77°50°64°38°48°26°35°16° JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 1234 TODAY YALE 37.1 in rain a year
Normal high to low, by month Record high to low, by day Rain by month Freezing
July, average85° / 63°high / low, the warmest month
January, average30° / 10°high / low, the coldest month
Rain a year37.1 inwettest months: May and June
Hottest on record113°FJuly 25, 1936
Coldest on record−35°FFebruary 2, 1996
Wettest day on record6.79 inApril 27, 2009
Snowiest day on record14.0 inDecember 9, 2009
90° days a year21very few reach 100°
Nights at or below 32°155and 51 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeHot-summer humid continentalKöppen Dfa

AROUND THE RING

1Freeze seasonfrom the first fall freeze, about Sept. 29, to the last in spring, about May 4 (median dates)
2Highs below freezingDec. 23 to Feb. 8; normal highs stay below 32°
3Lows below freezingOct. 29 to April 4; normal lows fall below 32°
4Wettest stretchMay through July: 14.9 of the year’s 37.1 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Yale normally reaches 48° and falls to 26°. The record high is 79°, in 1999; the record low −3°, in 1959. The most rain on this date, 1.24 in, fell in 2024.

MONTH BY MONTH
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Normal high30°35°48°61°72°82°85°83°77°64°48°35°
Normal low10°14°25°36°48°59°63°60°50°38°26°16°
Rain, inches0.891.181.884.115.305.234.324.523.612.811.881.41
Record high68° (1981)77° (2024)91° (2026)96° (2009)107° (1934)106° (1934)113° (1936)113° (1934)102° (1939)96° (1922)83° (1968)72° (2021)
Record low−35° (1912)−35° (1996)−29° (1962)7° (1936)19° (1907)35° (2001)40° (1895)36° (1935)19° (1899)0° (1925)−16° (1991)−31° (1989)

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1895 at Guthrie Center, 10 miles southwest. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.

MILE7
ON THE NETWORK

Around Yale on the Forecast Network

Neighboring plates

West Des Moines IA · 34 MI 34 miles southeast Ankeny IA · 39 MI 39 miles east Des Moines IA · 41 MI 41 miles east Omaha NE · 95 MI 95 miles west Lincoln NE · 138 MI 138 miles southwest Sioux Falls SD · 172 MI 172 miles northwest
FORECASTCITY
Map of Yale, Iowa. Explore the plate
IOWA · GUTHRIE

Yale

265 people, 1,130 ft above sea level in Guthrie County.

1,130 ftElevation
265People
0 sq miLand
Sunny 46°
SunnyDew point 23°
1

Today in Yale

NEXT 15 HOURS
Now clear day 41° 0%
7p clear night 36° 0%
10p mostly clear night 31° 0%
1a mostly clear night 28° 0%
4a partly cloudy night 26° 0%
7a partly cloudy day 24° 0%
Showers
NEXT RAINFriday · 60%
→
Sat0%
Sunny Sunny
24
41
A
Sun0%
Partly cloudy; warmer Partly cloudy; warmer
30
51
B
Mon0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
38
55
B
Tue0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
43
57
A
Wed20%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
48
59
B
Thu10%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
45
60
C
Fri60%
Showers likely Showers likely
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

79°, the hottest this week of the year has been since 1895.

2

What Yale stands on

Yale’s center stands about 1,130 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 1,040 ft to 1,170 ft, a difference of 130 ft: gently rolling country.

Yale, west to east Yale1,130 ftMiddle Raccoon Riverabout 1,040 ftNorth Raccoon Riverabout 950 ft ← WE → 24 miles through the town center; vertical exaggeration about 104×. Colors: rock at the surface.
Elevation, center1,130 ft
Within 3 miles1,040 to 1,170 ft
Lie of the landGently rolling (130 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

Yale’s year

Yale has a hot-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 85° in July; winter nights fall to about 10° in January. About 37 inches of rain fall in a normal year.

JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 1234 37.1 in
July, average85° / 63° · high / low, the warmest month
January, average30° / 10° · high / low, the coldest month
Rain a year37.1 in · wettest months: May and June
Hottest on record113°F · July 25, 1936
Coldest on record−35°F · February 2, 1996
Wettest day on record6.79 in · April 27, 2009
Snowiest day on record14.0 in · December 9, 2009
90° days a year21 · very few reach 100°
Nights at or below 32°155 · and 51 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeHot-summer humid continental · Köppen Dfa
1Freeze season · from the first fall freeze, about Sept. 29, to the last in spring, about May 4 (median dates)
2Highs below freezing · Dec. 23 to Feb. 8; normal highs stay below 32°
3Lows below freezing · Oct. 29 to April 4; normal lows fall below 32°
4Wettest stretch · May through July: 14.9 of the year’s 37.1 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Yale normally reaches 48° and falls to 26°. The record high is 79°, in 1999; the record low −3°, in 1959. The most rain on this date, 1.24 in, fell in 2024.

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1895 at Guthrie Center, 10 miles southwest. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.
3

Where the rain goes

≈ 1,600 mito the Gulf of AmericaBay Branch → Middle Raccoon → South Raccoon → North Raccoon → Des Moines → Mississippi

A raindrop that lands in Yale reaches the Gulf of America by way of Bay Branch, the Middle Raccoon, the South Raccoon, the North Raccoon, the Des Moines and the Mississippi: about 1,600 river miles.

Lake on the way: Roberts Creek.

1,330 miles of the trip are on the Mississippi.