Frost dates · Iowa
When is the first frost in Des Moines?
Des Moines right now
39°FBroken cloud
- Today42°F / 29°FClouds
- Tomorrow48°F / 26°FClear skies
- Monday52°F / 31°FClear skies
Cold enough to see your breath, for free.
Live from OpenWeatherMap. Alerts from the National Weather Service.
In a typical year, Des Moines’s first frost comes around October 20 and its last around April 18.
One year in ten the first frost comes as early as October 4, and nine years in ten it has arrived by November 1. One year in ten the last frost is over as early as April 4, and nine years in ten it is over by May 2. Des Moines averages about 128 nights a year at 32°F or colder, with about 184 frost-free days in between in a typical year. It’s frost season here, and the last frost usually comes around April 18. That makes it the 39th earliest first frost of the 117 cities we track where it freezes most years.
Last updated
A freeze is in the forecast for the next 48 hours.
Des Moines gets its last frost in mid-April, and then the whole state exhales at once.
Live 48-hour check from OpenWeatherMap, refreshed about every half hour. Alerts from the National Weather Service.
Frost dates, early, typical and late years
| Early year (1 in 10) | Typical | Late year (1 in 10) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First frost | October 4 | October 20 | November 1 |
| Last frost | April 4 | April 18 | May 2 |
A frost date here is a night when the official thermometer reads 32°F or colder. Frost on the ground can show up on clear, calm nights a few degrees milder.
Cities with about the same first frost
- Grand Rapids, Michigan: first frost around October 20
- Scranton, Pennsylvania: first frost around October 20
- Springfield, Illinois: first frost around October 20
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991 to 2020, station USW00014933.