Des Moines, IA Climate


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Des Moines, IA has a continental climate with hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters. Average temperatures in the summer range from the mid-70s to the mid-80s (Fahrenheit), while winter temperatures range from the low 20s to low 30s (Fahrenheit). Rainfall is fairly common throughout the year, averaging around 32 inches annually. Snowfalls average around 26 inches each year, usually beginning in October and ending in April.

Des Moines, Iowa gets 36 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Des Moines averages 33 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 204 sunny days per year in Des Moines. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Des Moines gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 108 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.


Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 86 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 13
Rain: averages 36 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 33 inches of snow a year


Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Des Moines is 6.9 (10=best), which means it is more comfortable than most places in Iowa.

8.6 Summer - 4.7 Winter
September, June and May are the most pleasant months in Des Moines, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

  ClimateDes Moines, IowaUnited States
  35.9 in.38.1 in.
  32.9 in.27.8 in.
  107.6 days106.2 days
  204 days205 days
  85.6°85.8°
  12.5°21.7°
  6.97
  44.3
  873 ft.2443 ft.
Climate
YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

July is the hottest month for Des Moines with an average high temperature of 85.6°, which ranks it as warmer than most places in Iowa. In Des Moines, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Des Moines are September, June and May.
In Des Moines, there are 18.8 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most places in Iowa.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Des Moines with an average of 12.5°. This is warmer than most places in Iowa.
In Des Moines, there are 135.1 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is warmer than most places in Iowa.
In Des Moines, there are 13.6 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is warmer than most places in Iowa.
The humidity is usually comfortable in Des Moines but some summer months can be unpleasant. July is the most humid month, though humidity is low for most of the year. The most humid months in Des Moines are July, August and June.
June is the wettest month in Des Moines with 5.1 inches of rain, and the driest month is January with 1.0 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 39% of yearly precipitation and 9% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 35.9 inches in Des Moines means that it is about average compared to other places in Iowa.
May is the rainiest month in Des Moines with 12.3 days of rain, and January is the driest month with only 6.8 rainy days. There are 107.6 rainy days annually in Des Moines, which is rainier than most places in Iowa. The rainiest season is Summer when it rains 29% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 20% chance of a rainy day.
An annual snowfall of 32.9 inches in Des Moines means that it is snowier than most places in Iowa. January is the snowiest month in Des Moines with 8.2 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.
Reviews for Des Moines
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Des Moines is a ok and pretty quiet place but as a teen it could be dramatic because Des Moines do have is fair or violents places to avoid in Des Moines would be the  More

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Dude · 
Over 4 years ago

This city is violent, there are too many gangs especially on the north  More

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Over 5 years ago

Good for the old that like slow pace and cheap buffets. Also good for non-descript mid-westerners that don't like a lot of action. No nightlife or mountains to hike  More

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