Warm sunshine across Iowa won’t last much longer. A strong cold front will sweep into Des Moines late Sunday, delivering rain and a 20-degree temperature drop by Monday.
According to the National Weather Service, highs near 90 degrees Friday and Saturday will give way to mid-60s as the front arrives. Breezy south winds Saturday may gust up to 30 mph along Interstate 235 and I-35, complicating travel for trucks and high-profile vehicles. The sharp shift signals the first true taste of fall after weeks of late-summer heat.
Friday brings one more unseasonably hot day, topping out near 90 under clear skies. Saturday remains sunny but gusty, with highs in the upper 80s before clouds thicken by evening. By Sunday, highs settle into the upper 80s again before showers begin late, spreading across Polk and surrounding counties.
Monday marks the real change. Daytime highs will struggle to reach the upper 60s, nearly 20 degrees cooler than the weekend, with scattered showers dampening commutes and outdoor plans.
Residents decorating for Halloween or tackling outdoor chores should finish by Saturday morning before winds pick up. Secure lawn furniture, inflatables, and loose items that could blow into traffic or damage property. Drivers should plan for slower conditions Sunday night into Monday as rain and cooler air settle in.
The pattern then stabilizes with highs holding in the 60s through midweek, setting up a more typical October stretch across central Iowa.
Five Day Forecast for Des Moines, Iowa
- Thursday: Sunny, high near 88.
- Friday: Sunny, high near 90.
- Saturday: Sunny and breezy, high near 88. Gusts up to 31 mph.
- Sunday: High near 87. Showers likely by evening.
- Monday: Showers, cooler, high near 67.
