DES MOINES, IOWA — Across central Iowa, a biting northwest wind greets the region this Monday morning as temperatures hover in the 20s and low 30s. Fields glisten with frost, and flags snap sharply over highways from I-35 to I-80 as gusts near 30 mph persist through the morning commute.
Travelers should use caution on open stretches and overpasses, especially during the early hours when visibility may briefly dip in blowing flurries. While only a few light snow showers are expected in far eastern Iowa, the brisk northwest breeze will make the air feel closer to the teens through mid-morning.
By afternoon, skies will brighten, setting the stage for a steady warming trend that carries into Veterans Day (Tuesday, November 11). Southerly winds return tomorrow, helping push highs into the mid-50s, bringing a brief and welcome taste of late-fall comfort before another cool-down approaches mid- to late-week.
For now, the pattern remains active but cooperative for early holiday planners. Pre-Thanksgiving travel models hint at a more complex setup, with colder air likely returning across the Plains and Midwest by the week before Thanksgiving. Meteorologists are watching for early “winter tease” signals—a potential mix or light snow returning to northern Iowa or Minnesota late next week.
It’s the kind of week that defines mid-November in the Heartland—cold mornings, crisp afternoons, and that unmistakable edge of winter creeping closer.
