Des Moines, Iowa 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

826
FXUS63 KDMX 160009
AFDDMX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
709 PM CDT Sun Mar 15 2026

 ...Updated for the 00z Aviation Discussion...

.KEY MESSAGES...

- A band of snow will move from northwest Iowa and across the
  state through this afternoon and evening. Wind gusts of 55-65+
  mph are expected with periods of white-out conditions likely.
  Travel may become impossible at times. Conditions will last
  into Monday morning before gradually tapering off.

- Very cold air filters into the state overnight with wind
  chills in the -20s in northern and western Iowa with -10s
  elsewhere.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
Issued at 239 PM CDT Sun Mar 15 2026

The surface low has tracked south of earlier expectations, reducing
the severe window in the area earlier this morning. That also meant
temperatures overnight and this morning were colder, resulting
in a period of freeing rain and wintry mix across northern Iowa
that created a glaze of ice and poor driving conditions. That
then turned over to snow with parts of far northern Iowa
receiving 3-6" this morning. There has since been a lull as the
dry slot passes across Iowa, though light drizzle and flurries
have been reported at times.

Early this afternoon the surface low is lifting east of the area
and the deformation zone has set up across northwest Iowa. Here
visibility has fallen to 1/4 mile or worse in most locations
with wind gusts of 40-50+ mph reported so far. At the same
time, bubbly, slightly convective showers have developed in
southern and central Iowa and are lifting north ahead of the
deformation zone. This area remains near freezing at the surface
with soundings showing the warm nose nearly eroded. Have
received reports of rain, snow, and graupel with these showers.
Here at the office, the showers began mainly as graupel before
mixing in snow after around 30 minutes. Expect that brief
periods of reduced visibility will also occur as these showers
move through. Meanwhile, wind gusts of 50-60+ mph have already
been reported across eastern Nebraska (70 mph at Hastings, NE!) and
Kansas today and this will push into Iowa later this afternoon
and evening. All ingredients remain in place for very strong
wins across Iowa into this evening with the very tight pressure
gradient, strong cold air advection, and subsidence. With
increasing snow and wind through the late afternoon and evening
hours, conditions across central Iowa will rapidly devolve with
travel becoming quite hazardous, especially after dark.
Interstate and other road closures have already been announced.
Expect significant drifting in areas that receive higher snow
amounts, making some roads impassable, along with periods of
white-out conditions. Snow tapers off after midnight with winds
gradually diminishing through Monday morning. Lingering blowing
snow is likely into Monday morning.

Strong cold air advection into the area will send temperatures to
the single digits to near zero by Monday morning. With strong winds
still in place, wind chill across the area will be in the -20s
north and west to -10s elsewhere. This will pose a particular
danger to anyone that may become stranded in the storm or loses
power.

&&

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Issued at 231 PM CDT Sun Mar 15 2026

A quick moving shortwave will move across the upper midwest,
skimming the northern half of Iowa on Tuesday. This will bring
another quick shot of light snow to the area. Then, the
building western US thermal ridge shifts over the area, keeping
the area dry and kicking off a warming trend. Expect to warm
through the 60s and to low 70s by the end of the week.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY/...
Issued at 642 PM CDT Sun Mar 15 2026

Aviation conditions remain degraded this evening with near
widespread IFR to LIFR conditions across the area with low
visibilities, as low as 1/2 to 1/4 mile at times, due to
falling and blowing snow. Snow begins to taper off late tonight
into the early overnight but winds will remain strong into
Monday morning keeping blowing snow around through the night and
early Monday, well after the end of falling snow. As such,
aviation conditions don`t really start to improve until mid
morning to midday Monday when clouds start to move out west to
east, though some blowing snow may linger further. Gusts of
40-50 knots remain at times this evening, lessening to gusts of
30-40 knots through the overnight, but still 25-30 knots through
the day Monday.

&&

.DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Blizzard Warning until 7 AM CDT Monday for IAZ004>007-015>017-
023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-092>097.
High Wind Warning until 4 AM CDT Monday for IAZ004>007-015>017-
023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-092>097.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Hagenhoff
LONG TERM...Hagenhoff
AVIATION...05