textproduct: Des Moines

KEY MESSAGES

- A band of snow will move from northwest Iowa and across the state through this afternoon and evening. Wind gusts of 55-65+ mph are expected with periods of white-out conditions likely. Travel may become impossible at times. Conditions will last into Monday morning before gradually tapering off.

- Very cold air filters into the state overnight with wind chills in the -20s in northern and western Iowa with -10s elsewhere.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 239 PM CDT Sun Mar 15 2026

The surface low has tracked south of earlier expectations, reducing the severe window in the area earlier this morning. That also meant temperatures overnight and this morning were colder, resulting in a period of freeing rain and wintry mix across northern Iowa that created a glaze of ice and poor driving conditions. That then turned over to snow with parts of far northern Iowa receiving 3-6" this morning. There has since been a lull as the dry slot passes across Iowa, though light drizzle and flurries have been reported at times.

Early this afternoon the surface low is lifting east of the area and the deformation zone has set up across northwest Iowa. Here visibility has fallen to 1/4 mile or worse in most locations with wind gusts of 40-50+ mph reported so far. At the same time, bubbly, slightly convective showers have developed in southern and central Iowa and are lifting north ahead of the deformation zone. This area remains near freezing at the surface with soundings showing the warm nose nearly eroded. Have received reports of rain, snow, and graupel with these showers. Here at the office, the showers began mainly as graupel before mixing in snow after around 30 minutes. Expect that brief periods of reduced visibility will also occur as these showers move through. Meanwhile, wind gusts of 50-60+ mph have already been reported across eastern Nebraska (70 mph at Hastings, NE!) and Kansas today and this will push into Iowa later this afternoon and evening. All ingredients remain in place for very strong wins across Iowa into this evening with the very tight pressure gradient, strong cold air advection, and subsidence. With increasing snow and wind through the late afternoon and evening hours, conditions across central Iowa will rapidly devolve with travel becoming quite hazardous, especially after dark. Interstate and other road closures have already been announced. Expect significant drifting in areas that receive higher snow amounts, making some roads impassable, along with periods of white-out conditions. Snow tapers off after midnight with winds gradually diminishing through Monday morning. Lingering blowing snow is likely into Monday morning.

Strong cold air advection into the area will send temperatures to the single digits to near zero by Monday morning. With strong winds still in place, wind chill across the area will be in the -20s north and west to -10s elsewhere. This will pose a particular danger to anyone that may become stranded in the storm or loses power.

LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/

Issued at 231 PM CDT Sun Mar 15 2026

A quick moving shortwave will move across the upper midwest, skimming the northern half of Iowa on Tuesday. This will bring another quick shot of light snow to the area. Then, the building western US thermal ridge shifts over the area, keeping the area dry and kicking off a warming trend. Expect to warm through the 60s and to low 70s by the end of the week.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY/

Issued at 642 PM CDT Sun Mar 15 2026

Aviation conditions remain degraded this evening with near widespread IFR to LIFR conditions across the area with low visibilities, as low as 1/2 to 1/4 mile at times, due to falling and blowing snow. Snow begins to taper off late tonight into the early overnight but winds will remain strong into Monday morning keeping blowing snow around through the night and early Monday, well after the end of falling snow. As such, aviation conditions don't really start to improve until mid morning to midday Monday when clouds start to move out west to east, though some blowing snow may linger further. Gusts of 40-50 knots remain at times this evening, lessening to gusts of 30-40 knots through the overnight, but still 25-30 knots through the day Monday.

DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Blizzard Warning until 7 AM CDT Monday for IAZ004>007-015>017- 023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-092>097. High Wind Warning until 4 AM CDT Monday for IAZ004>007-015>017- 023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-092>097.