The weather roller coaster over the last week has been an extreme one, even for Iowa. Iowans are used to wild weather extremes in the wintertime but going from balmy highs in the 60s to wind chills of minus-60 in the course of several days is radical

State climatologist Justin Glisan says It was almost like somebody roused a dozing Mother Nature from her slumber last Sunday and reminded her it’s supposed to be winter in Iowa — and she overreacted a bit.

Overall, the statewide average temperature for January was 18-point-five degrees, about one-degree below normal. Glisan says it appears February will remain colder than normal.