Get the app
Best time to visit · Iowa, United States
On the climate data, the best time to visit Des Moines is September & October, scoring up to 90/100 with highs around 78°F (26°C) and 3.4 in (87 mm) of rain in September. April – June and August are good shoulder-season months. The toughest months are December – February, mainly because of cool days.
Highs run from 31°F to 87°F across the year, and the yearly total is about 34.8 in (883 mm) of rain and snow.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high | 31°F-1°C | 35°F2°C | 49°F10°C | 63°F17°C | 73°F23°C | 83°F28°C | 87°F31°C | 85°F30°C | 78°F26°C | 63°F17°C | 49°F9°C | 35°F2°C |
| Avg low | 14°F-10°C | 16°F-9°C | 28°F-2°C | 40°F4°C | 51°F11°C | 63°F17°C | 67°F19°C | 64°F18°C | 55°F13°C | 41°F5°C | 30°F-1°C | 19°F-7°C |
| Rain/snow | 0.9 in23 mm | 1.1 in29 mm | 1.9 in48 mm | 3.6 in91 mm | 4.7 in120 mm | 5.1 in130 mm | 3.7 in94 mm | 4.3 in110 mm | 3.4 in87 mm | 2.8 in71 mm | 1.7 in42 mm | 1.5 in38 mm |
| Humidity | 83% | 81% | 76% | 72% | 73% | 74% | 70% | 69% | 69% | 71% | 77% | 84% |
| Cloud | 65% | 64% | 64% | 60% | 62% | 55% | 46% | 48% | 44% | 53% | 57% | 64% |
| Comfort | 48 | 49 | 62 | 81 | 80 | 73 | 73 | 75 | 90 | 86 | 64 | 49 |
Source: NASA POWER (public domain), 2001–2025 monthly averages on a ~50 km satellite and reanalysis grid, so coasts and valleys can differ from what's shown. The grid cell sits at about 293 m (961 ft), close to Des Moines's own ~247 m. Precipitation includes snow as melted water; daylight is calculated from latitude. Check a forecast before you go.
The cold peaks here: highs of 31–35°F (-1–2°C), and nights reach 14°F (-10°C). It's the driest season, with only about 3.5 in (90 mm) of rain or snow, 10% of the year's total. December – February are cold enough for snow. Comfort scores bottom out in December – February; the season averages 49/100.
Temperatures climb through the season, from 49°F highs in March to 73°F by May. About 10.2 in (259 mm) of rain or snow falls across these months, 29% of the year's total. March is cold enough for snow. April & May score well without being the very best (season average 74/100).
The warmest stretch of the year, with highs of 83–87°F (28–31°C). It's the wettest season, with about 13.1 in (334 mm) of rain, 38% of the year's total. Lows bottom out around 63°F (17°C). June and August score well without being the very best (season average 74/100).
Temperatures slide from 78°F highs in September to 49°F by November. About 7.9 in (200 mm) of rain falls across these months, 23% of the year's total. Nights dip below freezing in November. September & October are among the best-scoring months (season average 80/100).
By comfort score: 5 Great, 4 Good and 3 Fair. Great months: April & May and August – October. Tap a month for its own guide.
On the climate data, the best time to visit Des Moines is September & October, scoring up to 90/100 with highs around 78°F (26°C) and 3.4 in (87 mm) of rain in September. April – June and August are good shoulder-season months. The toughest months are December – February, mainly because of cool days.
June is the wettest month, averaging about 5.1 in (130 mm) of rain. January is the driest, with about 0.9 in (23 mm). The yearly total is around 34.8 in (883 mm).
January is the coldest, with average lows of 14°F (-10°C) and highs of 31°F (-1°C). The warmest is July, with average highs of 87°F (31°C).
Not very: summer (June – August) humidity averages 71%, and highs peak around 87°F (31°C), so heat matters more than mugginess.
On average, yes: lows fall below 32°F (0°C) in November – March, bottoming out around 14°F (-10°C) in January.
Share this with your crew, run a quick poll on dates in TripsCircle, then build the itinerary, packing list and shared costs in one place.
