textproduct: Des Moines

KEY MESSAGES

- Warm, dry, and breezy today with highs in the mid to upper 70s and winds gusting 25-30 mph across northern and western Iowa.

- Warmer weather continues on Saturday. A slow moving cold front will bring cooler temperatures in the upper 50s to low 60s across northern Iowa on Sunday while the rest of the state continues to see mid 70s.

- Rain chances and relatively cooler temperatures return early next week, around Monday into Tuesday.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 207 AM CDT Fri Oct 23 2026

Clear skies are in place across eastern and central Iowa early this morning while an area of cloud cover is across western Iowa. This cloud cover is associated with an area of convergence and weak moisture plume on the eastern edge of the western US trough that will continue to deepen as it slowly pushes into the plains today. Meanwhile in the clearer areas to the east patchy fog is developing in valleys and is notable on satellite, mainly in far NE Iowa into southern Minnesota and Wisconsin. As the western US trough deepens today the pressure gradient across western Iowa increases with a 40+ kt 850mb jet setting up across the plains. Dry low levels will allow for modest mixing, and while we won't tap the strongest winds, gusts of 25-30 mph will be possible across northern and western Iowa through this afternoon. With warm temperatures this afternoon in the mid to upper 70s and relative humidity falling to around 35-45%, the breezy conditions in northern and western Iowa will result in heightened fire weather concerns for those areas. This is primarily an agricultural concern with cured crops, whereas grasses remain fairly green thanks in part to the wet September.

By Saturday the western US trough is expected to deepen into a cutoff low across the southwest US, helping to ease the pressure gradient across the plains and resulting in less breezy conditions. The cold front gets hung up across South Dakota and Nebraska, keeping Iowa dry with temperatures in the mid to upper 70s once again.

LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/

Issued at 207 AM CDT Fri Oct 23 2026

By Sunday the cold front begins to slip in far northern Iowa with highs there in the upper 50s to low 60s on Sunday. Meanwhile most of Iowa will be in the mid 70s once again on Sunday. A few isolated showers are possible in northern Iowa on Sunday, however dry air will mitigate most development. As the cutoff low across the southwest US finally lifts into the midwest Monday into Tuesday moisture increases and will allow for spotty showers across the area. The cool front finally sinks across the area bringing temperatures down into the 60s. There will be a brief respite with weak mid-level ridging before the stronger trough from the Pacific Northwest swings through our region in the middle to end of next week. That system will push a stronger surface trough through and sweep out most remaining moisture from the earlier systems, bringing quieter autumn weather for at least a couple of days afterward in the extended forecast.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 615 AM CDT Fri Oct 23 2026

VFR conditions prevail through the TAF period. Breezy south-southeast wind increases today sustained at 10-15 kts with gusts of 20-25+ kts expected across northern and central Iowa sites. Wind tapers off after 00z. Scattered high clouds will pass across Iowa through the period.

DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.