Des Moines climate
Des Moines (Iowa, United States) has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa). The average temperature over the year is 10 °C51 °F, and about 884 mm35 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Des Moines climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin | Frost days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | −130 | −1014 | −522 | 230.9 | 30 |
| Feb | 134 | −915 | −425 | 291.1 | 27 |
| Mar | 949 | −228 | 438 | 481.9 | 22 |
| Apr | 1763 | 439 | 1151 | 913.6 | 8 |
| May | 2373 | 1151 | 1762 | 1204.7 | 0 |
| Jun | 2882 | 1762 | 2272 | 1305.1 | 0 |
| Jul | 3187 | 1967 | 2577 | 943.7 | 0 |
| Aug | 2985 | 1864 | 2474 | 1104.3 | 0 |
| Sep | 2578 | 1355 | 1966 | 873.4 | 0 |
| Oct | 1762 | 541 | 1152 | 712.8 | 5 |
| Nov | 948 | −130 | 439 | 421.7 | 18 |
| Dec | 135 | −719 | −327 | 391.5 | 29 |
| Year | 3187 | −1014 | 1051 | 88435 | 140 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total. Frost days are for the whole grid cell.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 83% | 65% | 2.0 | 9:28 |
| Feb | 81% | 64% | 3.0 | 10:33 |
| Mar | 76% | 64% | 3.8 | 11:49 |
| Apr | 72% | 60% | 4.8 | 13:17 |
| May | 73% | 62% | 5.6 | 14:31 |
| Jun | 74% | 55% | 6.3 | 15:10 |
| Jul | 70% | 46% | 6.4 | 14:54 |
| Aug | 69% | 48% | 5.5 | 13:50 |
| Sep | 69% | 44% | 4.6 | 12:25 |
| Oct | 71% | 53% | 3.1 | 11:00 |
| Nov | 77% | 57% | 2.2 | 9:46 |
| Dec | 84% | 64% | 1.7 | 9:10 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Des Moines is like
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 31 °C87 °F and a low of 19 °C67 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average −1 °C30 °F and lows −10 °C14 °F. The climate is extremely continental — the average temperature swings by 30.4 °C54.8 °F between the coldest and the warmest month.
Annual precipitation is moderate at about 884 mm35 in. The wettest three-month stretch is May–July, which brings 39% of the annual total. The wettest month is June (130 mm5.1 in), the driest is January (23 mm0.9 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 69% in August to 84% in December. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 44%) are typical of September. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 8 km/h (5 mph) in August to 14 km/h (9 mph) in April. Daylight lasts from about 9.2 hours in December to 15.2 hours in June.
A lasting snow cover is typical in December–February. In those months the average snow depth in the reanalysis exceeds 10 cm. It is deepest in January, at about 17 cm.
Best time to visit Des Moines
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are September. Average highs then reach 25 °C78 °F to 25 °C78 °F. Precipitation is 87 mm3.4 in to 87 mm3.4 in per month.
The most challenging month is January, which is cold, with average highs of −1 °C30 °F.
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Des Moines
- Winter (December–February) — highs −130 to 1 °C35 °F, lows −1014 to −7 °C19 °F, about 30 mm1.2 in of precipitation a month. Pack a winter coat, hat, gloves and warm, non-slip boots and shoes with good grip, as frost is common.
- Spring (March–May) — highs 949 to 23 °C73 °F, lows −228 to 11 °C51 °F, about 86 mm3.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Summer (June–August) — highs 2882 to 31 °C87 °F, lows 1762 to 19 °C67 °F, about 111 mm4.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses, an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Autumn (September–November) — highs 948 to 25 °C78 °F, lows −130 to 13 °C55 °F, about 67 mm2.6 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
How Des Moines compares
The nearest larger place is Omaha, about 198 km to the west. Compared with it, Des Moines is on average 0.4 °C0.7 °F cooler. It receives 13% more precipitation (884 mm35 in vs 786 mm31 in). The difference is largest in July (0.8 °C1.4 °F cooler).
World Climates covers 222 places in the United States. By annual mean temperature, Des Moines is the 191st warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 133rd wettest. See all of them on the United States climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Chuncheon (South Korea, Dwa), Yangju (South Korea, Dwa) and Hamhŭng (North Korea, Dwa).
Nearby places
- Climate in Cedar Rapids 169 km · 9 °C49 °F · 922 mm36 in
- Climate in Omaha 198 km · 11 °C51 °F · 786 mm31 in
- Climate in Davenport 252 km · 10 °C51 °F · 924 mm36 in
- Climate in Lincoln 271 km · 11 °C52 °F · 752 mm30 in
- Climate in Rochester 285 km · 7 °C45 °F · 886 mm35 in
- Climate in Kansas City 290 km · 13 °C55 °F · 1,039 mm41 in
- Climate in Overland Park 305 km · 12 °C54 °F · 1,039 mm41 in
- Climate in Columbia 314 km · 13 °C55 °F · 1,044 mm41 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Des Moines?
July is the warmest month in Des Moines. Its average high is 31 °C (87 °F) and its average low is 19 °C (67 °F).
What is the coldest month in Des Moines?
January is the coldest month. Its average high is -1 °C (30 °F) and its average low is -10 °C (14 °F).
When does it rain the most in Des Moines?
June is the wettest month with about 130 mm (5.1 in) of precipitation. January is the driest with about 23 mm (0.9 in).
What is the best time to visit Des Moines?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are September.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.