Des Moines, IA – A dramatic warmup is underway across Iowa, with temperatures soaring to near-record levels just days after a stretch of winterlike cold.
The National Weather Service in Des Moines says highs today will climb into the 60s and 70s, including around 77° in Des Moines and 76° in Ottumwa, putting some locations within a couple degrees of daily records.
The heat intensifies Saturday, with highs expected to reach the upper 70s to mid-80s, including 85° in Des Moines, which is just shy of the record of 86° set in 1938.
Other cities like Mason City, Waterloo, and Ottumwa are also expected to approach or challenge record highs this weekend.
This warm spell marks a sharp turnaround from earlier in the week, when temperatures were stuck in the teens and 20s.
Residents can expect a taste of early summer heading into the weekend, with well above-average temperatures dominating across the state.
