textproduct: Des Moines

KEY MESSAGES

- Blustery winds today with a few showers lingering over southeastern Iowa, otherwise turning drier and brighter.

- Seasonable temperatures today through at least Monday.

- Storm chances return Tuesday through Thursday.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/

Issued at 1241 AM CDT Sat Aug 1 2026

Blustery conditions prevail early this morning across central Iowa and while it remains humid, the sound of autumn is heard as the wind blows its way through the trees. These conditions are caused by 1005mb surface low pressure near Burlington with a tight pressure gradient on its northwestern flank. Clouds are also spiraling around this low per GOES-East Nighttime Microphysics RGB imagery with a mostly cloudy sky over much of our forecast area of central Iowa. There are also a few showers rotating south or southwestward around this low primarily east of I-35 and south of Highway 30. These spotty showers may linger over our far southeastern forecast area (e.g. Ottumwa and vicinity) after sunrise through perhaps midday. However, after these dissipate and move away, dry weather is forecast through at least Monday statewide. Clouds will also be shifting off to the east through the day today allowing for a return of sunshine to all but perhaps eastern Iowa before sunset. However, a haziness to the sky is expected as our northerly flow allows upper level wildfire smoke to spread overhead. Surface winds will remain breezy through the day - strongest over the southeastern half Iowa with gusts up to around 30 mph - before diminishing this evening. High temperatures today and Sunday will be within a few degrees of 80, which will be near if not a few degrees below normal for early August. Sunday will feature lighter winds with upper level wildfire smoke confined to more of western Iowa.

LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/

Issued at 254 PM CDT Fri Jul 31 2026

Pleasant and dry conditions continue on Sunday and Monday as the upper ridge builds eastward with temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s. Active weather then returns through mid next week as a longwave trough approaches with several waves moving through the overarching upper level flow. This will return precipitation chances to our area from Tuesday night to around Thursday with the pattern looking to remain active into next weekend. Temperatures don't really rebound keeping conditions for early August largely nice and in the 80s.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 629 AM CDT Sat Aug 1 2026

MVFR ceilings are common from ALO to AMW to CSQ and points east this morning with pockets of IFR as clouds wrap around low pressure exiting the state. Light to at times moderate showers are persisting and will impact OTM this morning. Lightning has been quite minimal so have just SHRA. For FOD/MCW, VFR conditions are expected to prevail and these conditions will move over the remainder of the terminals later this morning or afternoon. Blustery conditions with gusts between 20 and 30 knots will continue this morning and gradually diminish this afternoon and more so into this evening.

DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.