Des Moines, IA Weather
Des Moines hourly forecast: next 24 hours
Today's high of 86°F (30°C) is about 3°F (2°C) above the typical August high of 83°F (28°C).
Current conditions in detail
Des Moines weather tomorrow (Thursday, August 27)
Tomorrow in Des Moines looks sunny, with a high of 87° and an overnight low of 64°. Rain is unlikely (2% chance). Winds top out near 10 mph, and the UV index reaches 7 (high).
Des Moines 14-day forecast
About the weather in Des Moines
A 30°C spread between its warmest and coolest months puts Des Moines among the more strongly seasonal places we cover. July averages 85°F (29°C) by day; January averages 31°F (-1°C), with nights at 15°F (-9°C).
Des Moines weather: quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 85°F (29°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 31°F (-1°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 101°F (38°C) high · -23°F (-30°C) low
- Wettest month: May (14 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (12.7 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid continental
- Annual swing: 30°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 10°C
- Snow: about 15 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 4
- Average humidity: 68%
Temperatures through the year
Warmth peaks in July: highs of 85°F (29°C), lows of 68°F (20°C). January bottoms out at 31°F (-1°C) in daylight, 15°F (-9°C) after dark. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 101°F (38°C) and the lowest daily minimum -23°F (-30°C). Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 4 months, December through March.
Rain, sun and snow
Precipitation concentrates in May - 5.3 inches (135 mm) on 14 days - and thins out by February. Between the average July and the average January lie 30°C, a wider spread than 96% of the 3496 cities in our dataset.
Season by season
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Des Moines is mild, with daytime highs averaging 60°F (16°C) and nights around 42°F (6°C); rain falls on around 33 of the 90 days, plus about 3 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Des Moines is hot, with daytime highs averaging 84°F (29°C) and nights around 66°F (19°C); rain falls on around 30 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 12.1 hours of sun a day. With the moisture factored in, afternoons feel hotter than the reading suggests - the humidity and dew point converter shows why.
Fall (September through November)
Through fall, Des Moines stays on the cool side of mild: 64°F (18°C) by day, 47°F (8°C) after dark, and expect showers on roughly 24 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Through winter, Des Moines is frigid: 35°F (2°C) by day, 18°F (-8°C) after dark, and expect showers on roughly 20 days across the season, plus about 10 snowy days. Wind sharpens cold like this considerably; pair the forecast winds with the wind speed converter to judge exposed conditions.
Average temperatures in Des Moines by month
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31° | 15° | 7 | 1.6 in | 5.8 h/day | 75% |
| February | 36° | 17° | 6 | 1.3 in | 7.8 h/day | 68% |
| March | 50° | 31° | 8 | 2.8 in | 7.9 h/day | 66% |
| April | 60° | 41° | 10 | 3.5 in | 9.0 h/day | 63% |
| May | 72° | 53° | 14 | 5.3 in | 9.9 h/day | 69% |
| June | 83° | 65° | 11 | 4.6 in | 12.3 h/day | 67% |
| July | 85° | 68° | 9 | 3.9 in | 12.7 h/day | 71% |
| August | 83° | 66° | 10 | 3.5 in | 11.3 h/day | 71% |
| September | 78° | 61° | 8 | 3.4 in | 10.3 h/day | 68% |
| October | 64° | 47° | 8 | 3.6 in | 8.2 h/day | 64% |
| November | 49° | 33° | 7 | 2.1 in | 6.9 h/day | 68% |
| December | 39° | 24° | 6 | 1.9 in | 5.9 h/day | 70% |