Winter temperatures · Iowa
How cold does Des Moines get in winter?
In a typical winter, December to February, Des Moines averages highs around 34°F and lows around 17°F.
About 46 days a year never get above freezing. About 28 nights a year drop to 10°F or colder, and about 10 go below zero. That makes it the 20th coldest winter of the 129 US cities we track.
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The coldest low in the forecast for the next 48 hours is about 26°F.
Des Moines averages winter highs around 34°F, which is just warm enough to melt the snow so it can refreeze overnight.
Live 48-hour forecast from OpenWeatherMap, refreshed about every half hour. Alerts from the National Weather Service.
More about the weather here
Winter at a glance
| Average winter high | 34°F |
|---|---|
| Average winter low | 17°F |
| Days a year that stay below freezing | 46 |
| Nights a year at 32°F or colder | 128 |
| Nights a year at 10°F or colder | 28 |
| Nights a year below zero | 10 |
| Average summer high, for comparison | 84°F |
Winter here is December to February. Counts are averages a year.
Cities with about the same winter
- Great Falls, Montana: highs around 36°F, lows around 16°F
- Casper, Wyoming: highs around 36°F, lows around 15°F
- Missoula, Montana: highs around 33°F, lows around 19°F
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991 to 2020, station USW00014933.