textproduct: Des Moines

KEY MESSAGES

- Flood Watch cancelled but ongoing river flooding continues.

- A fall-like feel returns to Iowa tonight with lows falling into the 40s. Sunshine FINALLY returns to Iowa on Friday.

- Dry pattern sets up with comfortable temperatures for the first full weekend and full week of October.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 246 PM CDT Thu Oct 1 2026

Central Iowa welcomes October on a soggy note, though most of yesterday's and early this morning's rainfall has largely come to an end. Totals across central Iowa generally ranged between 1 and 3 inches, with the highest amounts falling between Omaha and Waterloo. River flooding is expected to persist through Saturday. A cold front will usher in drier air and a crisp fall feel, with wind gusts behind the boundary reaching up to 30 mph before diminishing this evening. Ahead of the front, ongoing deep moisture convergence in southern Iowa will help keep showers lingering into the evening hours. While clouds will remain socked in for several more hours, skies are expected to thin out overnight as a true autumn airmass settles in through next week.

Tonight

As clouds clear across central Iowa, temperatures will drop significantly. Most of central and northern Iowa will wake up Friday morning with lows in the lower to mid 40s. For Des Moines, this marks the first time temperatures have dipped below 50 degrees since May 31st (when the low was 47 degrees).

Friday

Friday will bring a beautiful autumn day to start the month. High pressure remains in control, keeping conditions dry with highs in the 60s under mostly sunny skies.

LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 246 PM CDT Thu Oct 1 2026

Similar pleasant conditions will hold through the weekend. A weak disturbance if forecast to sweep across Minnesota; while some model guidance hints at light shower activity in northern Iowa, precipitation chances have been kept out of the forecast. Weak forcing combined with low to mid level dry air will cause any rain aloft to evaporate before reaching the ground. Behind this system, a reinforced push of dry air will settle into central Iowa, eliminating any significant rainfall chances for the first full week of October. By mid next week, an upper level ridge building over the Four Corners will bring temperatures back into the 70s.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 1245 PM CDT Thu Oct 1 2026

A mix of MVFR and VFR conditions will persist across terminals through early afternoon. Prevailing VFR conditions will return to KFOD, KALO and KMCW over the next couple of hours, reaching KDSM by 21z. Showers at KOTM will continue into the early evening. Northerly winds will remain gusty at times up to 25kts into sunset. Overnight, clouds will clear behind the passing cold front, maintaining VFR conditions through the remainder of the period.

DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.