textproduct: Des Moines

KEY MESSAGES

- Cool, dry conditions persist this weekend, with daytime highs in the 40s and nighttime lows in the 20s.

- Steadily warming temperatures through the weekend and into next week will see highs back in the 50s and 60s. Breezier winds will develop Monday through Wednesday.

- Rain chances (15 to 30%) return late Wednesday into Thursday.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 217 AM CST Sat Nov 14 2026

The status quo of cool temperatures, calm to light winds and mostly clear skies continues over Iowa early this Saturday morning as surface high pressure continues to dictate the weather pattern. Some patchy fog has developed in the state this morning, but is mostly confined to low-lying areas and river valleys. This should burn off after sunrise.

Taking a look aloft, a prominent 500 mb trough remains in place over the eastern half of the CONUS, placing Iowa on it's western periphery. A thin 500 mb ridge currently over the plains will inch it's way toward Iowa today as the eastern CONUS troughing moves eastward. Cool temperatures and northerly flow aloft will follow the troughing eastward, allowing low to mid- level winds to become more southerly and bring warmer 850 mb temperatures into the state. This weak WAA combined with diurnal heating will see temperatures warm a few degrees each day; into the mid 40s today and the upper 40s on Sunday. Morning low temperatures also warm slightly each day, albeit still falling into the 20s tonight and Sunday night. Aside from this subtle warming and a flip to weak southerly surface flow, the pattern remains mostly unchanged through the remainder of the weekend as cool, dry conditions prevail. Sunshine will be present during the days, although thin cirrus clouds may filter through at times today and especially on Sunday.

LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/

Issued at 228 PM CST Fri Nov 13 2026

The extended forecast will begin as a continuation of the short-term pattern, as deterministic models keep the region under persistent upper-level ridging. This synoptic setup will allow temperatures to warm into the low to mid 60s by Thursday and Friday. Meanwhile, beginning Tuesday, an upper-level Pacific trough will move onshore and traverse the western CONUS, with leeside cyclogenesis east of the Rockies by late Wednesday afternoon. As this developing low- pressure system ejects northeastward out of the Plains, rain showers will overspread the area from the southwest starting Thursday morning as the region enters the system's advancing precipitation shield.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 506 AM CST Sat Nov 14 2026

VFR conditions prevail early this morning. Some patchy fog is being observed in portions of Iowa this morning, primarily in valleys and other low-lying areas. However, this is not expected to impact TAF sites at this time. Winds will be calm to light today, increasing to around 5 kts. While winds will be variable this morning, they eventually become predominantly out of the south this afternoon. Skies will be mostly clear aside from some thin cirrus filtering through at times.

DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.