Des Moines, IA

4 October 2026: Fall 2026 so far brought 14.65 in of precipitation in Des Moines, IA, the wettest 1 September to 4 October since 1914, 2nd wettest of 149.

Sunday 4 October 2026

High: 73°F; Warmest since 2025; 60th warmest of 149
Low: 50°F; Warmest since 2025; 58th warmest of 149

No measurable precipitation in Des Moines, IA for 3 days to Sunday 4 October 2026.

Every 4 October low in Des Moines, IA since 1878: 50°F in 2026; the lowest is 29°F, in 1999, 1968, 1935 and 1 other year.

Normal range, 37 to 57.4°F

Every year as a table

Every 4 October high in Des Moines, IA since 1878: 73°F in 2026; the highest is 92°F, in 1938.

Year	High, °F	Low, °F
2026	73	50
2025	86	67
2024	75	56
2023	75	56
2022	78	52
2021	78	49
2020	58	37
2019	59	41
2018	58	39
2017	67	55
2016	80	61
2015	57	45
2014	55	36
2013	79	64
2012	65	46
2011	86	51
2010	65	39
2009	60	37
2008	72	45
2007	82	54
2006	82	57
2005	88	72
2004	56	39
2003	78	41
2002	70	45
2001	56	48
2000	65	47
1999	56	29
1998	58	50
1997	81	52
1996	63	41
1995	74	48
1994	68	51
1993	69	44
1992	76	54
1991	50	44
1990	73	46
1989	59	34
1988	53	32
1987	78	43
1986	60	44
1985	61	44
1984	73	47
1983	61	44
1982	77	49
1981	69	52
1980	57	34
1979	57	38
1978	68	43
1977	68	45
1976	73	52
1975	76	46
1974	76	57
1973	65	46
1972	74	46
1971	74	45
1970	74	40
1969	86	61
1968	58	29
1967	81	64
1966	62	40
1965	66	41
1964	63	41
1963	82	50
1962	73	53
1961	75	41
1960	71	46
1959	55	48
1958	85	51
1957	70	45
1956	70	51
1955	66	61
1954	62	46
1953	67	47
1952	55	40
1951	77	56
1950	58	31
1949	70	53
1948	64	38
1947	81	54
1946	79	55
1945	67	46
1944	64	55
1943	65	43
1942	73	52
1941	69	55
1940	82	58
1939	84	58
1938	92	63
1937	70	62
1936	64	60
1935	50	29
1934	74	50
1933	70	47
1932	50	42
1931	83	64
1930	74	60
1929	58	46
1928	83	56
1927	72	42
1926	70	53
1925	65	49
1924	75	48
1923	71	48
1922	87	60
1921	63	35
1920	81	53
1919	76	64
1918	83	63
1917	74	46
1916	87	65
1915	56	40
1914	72	56
1913	71	64
1912	77	45
1911	61	50
1910	72	44
1909	77	53
1908	76	45
1907	73	44
1906	80	50
1905	85	59
1904	86	58
1903	73	46
1902	49	44
1901	58	30
1900	87	69
1899	72	49
1898	85	51
1897	88	57
1896	72	47
1895	61	52
1894	50	43
1893	64	44
1892	81	45
1891	58	37
1890	70	57
1889	79	39
1888	74	47
1887	68	39
1886	73	50
1885	56	29
1884	82	68
1883	49	46
1882	81	62
1881	72	50
1880	67	36
1879	78	61
1878	69	45

The forecast

Date	High	Low
6 October	80°FRecord 94°F, 1963	53°FRecord 24°F, 1952
7 October	Record 91°F, 1939	Record 26°F, 1952

The month and the year

Every year's 1 to 4 October in Des Moines, IA, ranked by its mean temperature: October 2026 so far is the 82nd warmest of 149.

Every year, ranked, as a table

Rank	Year	Mean, °F
1	2005	75.9
2	2025	75
3	1884	74.1
4	2023	73.4
4	1897	73.4
6	1919	73.3
7	2006	72.8
8	2013	72.3
9	1900	71.8
10	1951	71.5
11	1922	71.1
12	1967	70.9
13	1938	70.6
14	1997	70.1
15	1937	70
16	1879	69.3
17	1931	69.1
17	1892	69.1
19	1976	68.9
20	1969	68.6
20	1898	68.6
22	1916	68.4
23	2017	67.6
23	1971	67.6
25	1882	67.4
26	1953	67.3
27	2021	66.8
28	1983	66.3
29	1909	66
30	1956	65.9
30	1914	65.9
32	1992	65.8
33	1963	65.6
34	2016	65.5
34	1930	65.5
36	1982	65.4
37	1905	65.1
38	1881	65
39	1940	64.9
40	1942	64.8
40	1913	64.8
42	1926	64.4
42	1910	64.4
44	2007	64.3
44	1903	64.3
46	2024	64
47	1949	63.9
48	1904	63.8
49	2022	63.5
50	2000	63.4
51	2001	63.1
51	1954	63.1
53	1939	62.9
53	1891	62.9
55	1973	62.6
55	1899	62.6
57	1947	62.5
58	2012	62.1
59	1924	62
60	1972	61.6
60	1946	61.6
60	1889	61.6
63	1955	61.5
63	1890	61.5
65	1995	61.3
66	1994	61.1
66	1928	61.1
66	1925	61.1
69	1990	61
69	1878	61
71	2011	60.9
71	2002	60.9
73	1970	60.6
73	1907	60.6
75	1934	60.5
76	1896	60.4
77	1912	60.3
78	1957	60.1
78	1932	60.1
78	1917	60.1
81	1941	60
82	2026	59.9
83	1962	59.5
83	1918	59.5
85	1964	59.4
86	1923	59.3
86	1915	59.3
88	1911	58.6
89	2019	58.5
90	1906	58.4
91	1920	58.3
92	1893	58
93	1960	57.8
94	1943	57.6
95	1933	57.5
96	2018	57.4
96	1991	57.4
96	1984	57.4
99	1929	57.3
99	1887	57.3
101	1958	57.1
102	2008	57
103	1986	56.9
103	1978	56.9
103	1927	56.9
106	1895	56.6
107	1936	56.1
107	1886	56.1
109	1948	55.9
110	1965	55.6
111	1921	55.5
111	1880	55.5
113	1908	55.4
114	1944	54.9
114	1885	54.9
116	2010	54.8
117	2014	54.6
118	1968	54.5
118	1950	54.5
120	1979	54.4
120	1966	54.4
122	1993	54.3
123	1987	54
123	1975	54
125	1945	53.9
126	2015	53.8
126	1888	53.8
128	1996	53.4
128	1977	53.4
130	1981	53
130	1952	53
132	1901	52.8
133	2003	52.4
133	1988	52.4
135	1989	52.1
136	1959	51.8
136	1894	51.8
138	1902	51.6
139	1961	51.4
140	1974	51.3
141	1980	51
142	1985	50.9
143	2004	50.8
144	2009	50.6
145	1998	50.4
146	2020	48.9
147	1883	47.9
148	1935	47.4
149	1999	44.9

Every day as a table

Daily highs and lows in Des Moines, IA, 1 to 4 October 2026, with each date's record range and its 1991 to 2020 normal range.

Day	High, °F	Low, °F	Record high	Year	Record low	Year	Normal high	Normal low
1 October 2026	69	53	92	1976	29	1985	74.5	51
2 October 2026	68	45	92	1953	27	1974	70.5	50
3 October 2026	73	48	92	1997	29	1888	72.5	47
4 October 2026	73	50	92	1938	29	1999	66	45.5

The warmest, coldest and wettest on this date

The 20 warmest 4 October highs in Des Moines, IA since 1878.
Rank	Year	High, °F
1	1938	92
2	2005	88
2	1897	88
4	1922	87
4	1916	87
4	1900	87
7	2025	86
7	2011	86
7	1969	86
7	1904	86
11	1958	85
11	1905	85
11	1898	85
14	1939	84
15	1931	83
15	1928	83
15	1918	83
18	2007	82
18	2006	82
18	1963	82

The 20 coldest 4 October lows in Des Moines, IA since 1878.
Rank	Year	Low, °F
1	1999	29
1	1968	29
1	1935	29
1	1885	29
5	1901	30
6	1950	31
7	1988	32
8	1989	34
8	1980	34
10	1921	35
11	2014	36
11	1880	36
13	2020	37
13	2009	37
13	1891	37
16	1979	38
16	1948	38
18	2018	39
18	2010	39
18	2004	39

The 20 wettest 4 October days in Des Moines, IA since 1878.
Rank	Year	Precipitation, in
1	2013	2.26
2	1941	2.07
3	1881	1.98
4	1991	1.33
5	1998	0.93
6	1984	0.88
7	1902	0.84
8	1954	0.83
9	1959	0.73
10	1883	0.68
11	1919	0.53
12	1976	0.47
13	1913	0.45
14	1884	0.36
15	1986	0.24
16	1936	0.23
17	2024	0.20
17	1891	0.20
19	2001	0.17
19	1940	0.17

Every answer in words

Sunday 4 October 2026: a high of 73°F in Des Moines, IA, the warmest 4 October since 2025, tied 60th warmest of 149 (with 1990, 1984, 1976 and 5 other years).
Sunday 4 October 2026: a low of 50°F in Des Moines, IA, the warmest 4 October night since 2025, tied 58th warmest of 149 (with 1998, 1963, 1934 and 4 other years).
Forecast for Tuesday 6 October 2026: a high of 80°F in Des Moines, IA, which would be the warmest 6 October since 2020, tied 14th warmest of 149 (with 2020, 1994, 1958 and 4 other years) (National Weather Service forecast).
Forecast for Tuesday 6 October 2026: a low of 53°F in Des Moines, IA, which would be the warmest 6 October night since 2025, tied 29th warmest of 148 (with 1996, 1992, 1939 and 1 other year) (National Weather Service forecast).
Des Moines, IA on 6 October: record high 94°F (1963), record low 24°F (1952).
Des Moines, IA on 7 October: record high 91°F (1939), record low 26°F (1952).
October 2026 so far averaged 59.9°F in Des Moines, IA, the coldest 1 to 4 October since 2020, 68th coldest of 149.
October 2026 so far brought 0.15 in of precipitation in Des Moines, IA, the wettest 1 to 4 October since 2024, tied 58th wettest of 149 (with 1972).
Fall 2026 so far averaged 69.3°F in Des Moines, IA, the warmest 1 September to 4 October since 2025, tied 15th warmest of 149 (with 1925).
2026 so far averaged 57.9°F in Des Moines, IA, the warmest 1 January to 4 October since 2024, 6th warmest of 148.
2026 so far brought 46.73 in of precipitation in Des Moines, IA, the wettest 1 January to 4 October since 2010, 3rd wettest of 148.
The 30 days to Sunday 4 October 2026 brought 14.65 in of precipitation in Des Moines, IA, the driest 30 days to 4 October since 2025, 148th driest of 149.
The 60 days to Sunday 4 October 2026 brought 18.55 in of precipitation in Des Moines, IA, the driest 60 days to 4 October since 2025, 149th driest of 149.
The 90 days to Sunday 4 October 2026 brought 23.89 in of precipitation in Des Moines, IA, the driest 90 days to 4 October since 2025, 147th driest of 148.
Des Moines, IA has had 27 days at 90°F or above in 2026 through 4 October, the most by that date since 2024, tied 59th most of 148 (with 2020, 1985 and 1927).
Des Moines, IA has had 64 freezing nights (a low of 32°F or below) in 2026 through 4 October, the most by that date since 2025, tied 145th most of 148 (with 1927).
The last freeze of spring 2026 in Des Moines, IA came on Sunday 5 April 2026, the latest since 2025, tied 136th latest of 148 (with 1987).

Nearby

Waterloo, IA 95.4 mi
Cedar Rapids, IA 102.4 mi
Omaha, NE 117.5 mi
Spencer, IA 138.1 mi
Burlington, IA 141.6 mi
Polk County, IA county average
Iowa every city and county

All-time records

About these figures

Daily records for Des Moines, IA run from 1878 to 4 October 2026, with 9 days missing; current station DES MOINES INTL AP.

Our calculation from NOAA records for Des Moines, IA, 1878 to 2026. Preliminary until NOAA's final data.