Thermograph

How unusual is the weather? Graded against ~45 years of local climate history.

Des Moines weather records

Record high and low temperatures for Des Moines, by month, by season, and all-time, with the dates they occurred, across 1980–2026 of daily climate history. Its hottest day on record reached 103°F on 2012-07-25; its coldest fell to -28°F on 2009-01-16.

Records by month

The warmest (▲) and coldest (▼) both the daytime high and the overnight low have ever been in each calendar month, so each column shows its record high and its record low. Tap a month for its full averages and typical range.

MonthDaytime highOvernight low
January
65°F1989-01-31
-9°F1994-01-18
47°F1988-01-30
-28°F2009-01-16
February
79°F2024-02-26
-13°F1996-02-03
57°F2017-02-20
-27°F1996-02-03
March
91°F2026-03-21
2°F2014-03-02
66°F2012-03-19
-14°F2014-03-03
April
89°F1980-04-22
27°F1982-04-06
70°F2002-04-18
9°F1982-04-06
May
96°F2018-05-27
36°F2013-05-03
75°F2006-05-29
30°F2005-05-03
June
102°F1988-06-21
58°F1993-06-02
83°F2024-06-25
43°F2001-06-01
July
103°F2012-07-25
66°F1981-07-27
81°F1980-07-20
50°F1997-07-05
August
102°F1983-08-18
61°F1987-08-26
82°F1983-08-17
41°F1986-08-28
September
98°F2013-09-09
49°F1985-09-30
79°F2011-09-02
30°F1984-09-29
October
93°F2023-10-01
33°F1980-10-29
74°F2019-10-01
13°F1980-10-29
November
78°F1999-11-13
13°F1991-11-25
63°F2020-11-09
-5°F1991-11-08
December
73°F2021-12-15
-11°F1983-12-24
55°F1982-12-02
-25°F1989-12-23

Records by season

The warmest (▲) and coldest (▼) both the daytime high and the overnight low have reached in each meteorological season (Northern Hemisphere, each a three-month span).

SeasonDaytime highOvernight low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
79°F2024-02-26
-13°F1996-02-03
57°F2017-02-20
-28°F2009-01-16
Spring (Mar–May)
96°F2018-05-27
2°F2014-03-02
75°F2006-05-29
-14°F2014-03-03
Summer (Jun–Aug)
103°F2012-07-25
58°F1993-06-02
83°F2024-06-25
41°F1986-08-28
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
98°F2013-09-09
13°F1991-11-25
79°F2011-09-02
-5°F1991-11-08

All-time records

The most extreme value Des Moines has recorded for each metric across its entire history.

High

Highest 103°F 2012-07-25
Lowest -13°F 1996-02-03

Low

Highest 83°F 2024-06-25
Lowest -28°F 2009-01-16

Feels-like

Highest 150°F 2023-08-23
Lowest -54°F 1982-01-10

Humidity

Highest 25.6 g/m³ 2023-08-23
Lowest 0.3 g/m³ 1996-02-03

Wind

Highest 38 mph 1998-11-10
Lowest 3 mph 2009-09-23

Gust

Highest 69 mph 2021-12-16
Lowest 7 mph 2005-01-31

Precip

Wettest 4.36 in 1982-08-30
Driest 16-day dry spell 1999-03-12

For rainfall, the “driest” figure is the longest run of consecutive days without measurable rain, dated to when that dry spell began.

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