Des Moines, Iowa – A sharp chill blanketed Iowa fields before sunrise Thursday, leaving lawns rimmed with white and farm fields frozen stiff. Across central Iowa, the season’s first Freeze Warning brings the unmistakable end to the growing season — a cold, still dawn that signals winter’s slow arrival.
According to the National Weather Service in Des Moines, temperatures dipped to between 26°F and 32°F early Thursday under clear skies and calm winds. The Freeze Warning remains in effect through 9 a.m. CDT, covering much of central Iowa, including Ames, Carroll, Newton, Winterset, and Des Moines. Residents are urged to protect outdoor plumbing, cover tender plants, and unplug garden hoses before another frosty start Friday.
While Thursday turns bright and sunny, highs will only reach the upper 50s to near 60°F, keeping that crisp, late-October feel. A weak ridge brings steadier warmth Friday, but the chill won’t release easily. Friday night into Saturday, another push of cool air drifts south along I-35, bringing lows in the 30s once again.
By Saturday, most of central Iowa will wake to patchy frost before clouds build late in the day. Early next week, temperatures rebound toward the 60s, offering a brief window for outdoor cleanup or Halloween decorating before the next front arrives. For now, the Midwest stays mostly dry, though forecasters hint at early signs of the first light snow potential across far northern Wisconsin late next week — a reminder that true winter is only a few frosts away.
Five-Day Forecast for Des Moines, IA:
Thu: 60/38 – Sunny and cool; freeze warning early morning.
Fri: 63/46 – Mostly sunny; calm, milder afternoon.
Sat: 60/48 – Mostly cloudy; patchy frost early, breezy later.
Sun: 62/40 – Slight shower chance; late-fall chill continues.
Mon: 60/42 – Cloudy start; light breeze, early taste of November air.
