textproduct: Des Moines

KEY MESSAGES

- Warmer temperatures through the weekend. Dry and gusty conditions on Saturday, with elevated fire weather concerns in northwestern Iowa.

- Slight chances for precipitation in northern Iowa Monday before a signal for increased chances again midweek.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 223 AM CDT Sat Oct 10 2026

Looking at the latest surface analysis, yesterdays warm front has transitioned into a stationary boundary as upper-level dynamics and synoptic forcing have largely abandoned the parent surface low. Farther to the northwest, a 986 mb surface low is tracking across southern Canada. Extending eastward from this system is a warm front that is facilitating warm-air advection across the region. Centered over the Four Corners, a 1017 mb surface high is dominating conditions across the central CONUS. Locally, clear skies prevail with temperatures ranging from the lower to upper 60s alongside breezy southerly winds.

Today will feature a combination of noteworthy synoptic dynamics. An approaching surface low and its accompanying cold front will maintain the area in the warm sector, allowing temperatures to rise well above seasonal averages. Highs are forecast to reach the mid- 80s, keeping daily record maximums safe. Concurrently, the post- tropical remnant low of Isaias continues to move inland toward the Ohio Valley. Flow around this system, in tandem with a robust LLJ ahead of the Canadian surface low, will advect drier air into the region. Coupled with a tightening surface pressure gradient, increasing surface winds are expected to elevate fire weather concerns across portions of western and northern Iowa. Winds will remain strong out of the south with gusts up to 35 mph, and a SPS may be needed to highlight the marginal fire weather risk this afternoon.

Sunday will bring weather similar to Saturday. High temperatures are again forecast to climb into the mid-80s. A few temperature records may be approached: Des Moines has a record high of 86 F with a forecast of 85 F, while record high forecasts at Mason City and Ottumwa are within a degree or two of daily records. Sunday will feature the gradual approach of the Canadian surface low, though conditions will remain dry locally. While winds will remain breezy due to the persistent surface pressure gradient and LLJ support, gradual low-level moisture advection into the region will help mitigate fire weather concerns for the remainder of the weekend.

Unseasonably warm and breezy conditions will dominate the weekend as the region remains situated within the warm sector of a Canadian low- pressure system. Strong southerly winds, tightening pressure gradients, and dry-air advection will generate marginal fire weather concerns across western and northern Iowa on Saturday. Moisture advection on Sunday will ease fire risks, though warm temperatures nearing daily record highs will persist under continued dry conditions.

LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/

Issued at 108 PM CDT Fri Oct 9 2026

Monday will once again be a similar story to Sunday in the southern portion of the state with highs in the mid 80s and winds gusting to 20 mph. In the north, slight precipitation chances (10-20%) exist as a shortwave moves across Manitoba/Ontario kicking off a weak surface low pressure area and bringing an associated cold front through the area. The passage of the cold front will allow fall-like temperatures to return to the area with temperatures dropping back into the mid 60s to low 70s Tuesday and Wednesday.

By the middle of next week, there is a signal for the return to an active period with multiple ensembles honing in on rain Wednesday into Thursday. Models are in good agreement that a large trough will dig into the Rocky Mountains and then lift towards the Midwest. There are significant differences between the global models from run to run in the timing and phasing of the trough. Those differences have large impacts on any weather that will be experienced in Iowa. The European and Canadian models currently have a more open wave pattern that moves across the area. While the GFS has a closed low that is weaker and slower to phase with the upper level flow. Model trends will be something to watch in the coming days to see how global models begin to handle these variations in solutions.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 1100 PM CDT Fri Oct 9 2026

Southerly winds of 5-10 kts with LLWS conditions expected across all TAF sites except KOTM tonight and into early morning. Have LLWS diminishing just after sunrise as the inversion erodes. Daytime heating through the day will allow southerly wind gusts of 25-30 kts in the north (KFOD, KMCW, KALO) and 15-25 kts in the south (KDSM, KOTM) before dropping off Saturday evening. Mostly clear skies prevail through the period as well.

DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.