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On Air WeatherPets Network WPET 7 · Des Moines Bureau

Des Moines weather, reported by Jeter

The live pet-owner forecast for Des Moines, Iowa: walk verdicts, paw-safety context, and a very good weather anchor. Real forecast data, reported with more tail wags than your usual station.

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Jeter
Chief Walk Meteorologist

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Can you walk your dog in Des Moines right now?

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Waiting on live conditions.

Verdicts use the same temperature bands as our vet-sourced guides to safe walking temperatures and cold-weather limits, including the humidity bump and the 7-second pavement test.

Next 12 hours in Des Moines

10-day Des Moines forecast

Live forecast:  Weather. Updates every few minutes.

What Des Moines weather usually means for pets

Averages tell you what to plan a wardrobe around. Here is Des Moines's typical year with a dog-walk comfort rating for each month, using the same bands as the live verdict above.

MonthAvg highAvg lowTypical midday walk
January30.9°F / -1°C13.8°F / -10°CCaution — coats & short walks
February35.7°F / 2°C18°F / -8°CCoat weather for small dogs
March49.2°F / 10°C29.6°F / -1°CSafe — great walk weather
April62°F / 17°C40.6°F / 5°CSafe — great walk weather
May72.4°F / 22°C52.3°F / 11°CFine for most dogs
June81.9°F / 28°C62.4°F / 17°CCaution — shade & water
July85.6°F / 30°C66.4°F / 19°CRisky — early/late only
August83.6°F / 29°C64.2°F / 18°CRisky — early/late only
September76.9°F / 25°C55.4°F / 13°CFine for most dogs
October63.4°F / 17°C42.9°F / 6°CSafe — great walk weather
November48.3°F / 9°C30.2°F / -1°CSafe — great walk weather
December35.9°F / 2°C19.5°F / -7°CCoat weather for small dogs

Record high: 110°F / 43°C (July and August, records since 1878) · Record low: -30°F / -34°C (January, records since 1878) · Average snowfall: 36.5″ a year, peaking in February

Climate data: NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals (Des Moines International Airport).

Des Moines weather facts every pet owner should know

  • January lows in Des Moines average 13.8F, well below the 20F danger line, so midwinter dog walks here should be short, coated, and booted.
  • Des Moines has recorded both 110F and -30F, a 140 degree spread that makes it one of the most extreme pet-weather cities in the Midwest.
  • Summer brings the other extreme: July highs average 85.6F with famous Iowa humidity, pushing afternoons past the 82F risky band, so summer walks belong at sunrise.
  • An average winter drops 36.5 inches of snow on Des Moines, with February the peak at 10.2 inches, meaning road salt and ice are daily paw hazards for months.
Des Moines, Iowa downtown skyline
Des Moines, Iowa downtown skyline. Photo: JoshWest.com, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Des Moines pet weather questions

Below 20F is dangerous for most dogs, and Des Moines January lows average 13.8F, so midwinter walks should be brief with coats and booties. December and February lows average 19.5 and 18.0F, so treat the whole December through February stretch as short-walk season.
July averages an 85.6F high and August 83.6F, both past the 82F risky band, and Iowa humidity makes it feel worse. Walk before 8 am, when July lows average 66.4F, and remember afternoon pavement can burn paws even when air temps seem tolerable.
Average snowfall is 36.5 inches a year, peaking at 10.2 inches in February. Salted sidewalks are the norm downtown all winter, so rinse or wipe paws after walks and watch for ice balls between toes on long-haired breeds.
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