Des Moines weather in December: Des Moines, Iowa: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Des Moines in December has a normal high of 36°F and a normal low of 20°F, a daily mean of 28°F, falling from 41°F on the 1st to 32°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 8 days in a normal December, 1.58 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 2°C and low of −7°C, 40 mm of precipitation and 20 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationDes Moines International Airport
- Station IDUSW00014933
- Location41.53°N 93.65°W
- Elevation957 ft (292 m)
- From the center3 miles
- Population213,096
- Jan 31° 14°
- Feb 36° 18°
- Mar 49° 30°
- Apr 62° 41°
- May 72° 52°
- Jun 82° 62°
- Jul 86° 66°
- Aug 84° 64°
- Sep 77° 55°
- Oct 63° 43°
- Nov 48° 30°
- Dec 36° 20°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Des Moines in December?
The normal high is 36°F and the normal low 20°F, for a daily mean of 27.7°F. December is 11.6°F cooler than November and 5.4°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Des Moines and the 10th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 9°F, from 41°F on December 1 to 32°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 5.0°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 23°F and 33°F.
Bars above: each day's normal high to low. Columns below: the chance of 0.01 inch or more of precipitation that day, on a scale of 0 to 100% (highest 26%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 41°F | 24°F | 25% | 13% |
| December 8 | 38°F | 22°F | 25% | 12% |
| December 15 | 36°F | 20°F | 25% | 12% |
| December 22 | 34°F | 18°F | 25% | 11% |
| December 31 | 32°F | 16°F | 26% | 11% |
Every day of December: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon December 1, coldest night December 31)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 41°F | 24°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 2 | 41°F | 24°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 3 | 40°F | 23°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 4 | 40°F | 23°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 5 | 40°F | 23°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 6 | 39°F | 22°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 7 | 39°F | 22°F | 25% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 8 | 38°F | 22°F | 25% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 9 | 38°F | 21°F | 25% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 10 | 38°F | 21°F | 25% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 11 | 37°F | 21°F | 25% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 12 | 37°F | 21°F | 25% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 13 | 37°F | 20°F | 25% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 14 | 36°F | 20°F | 25% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 15 | 36°F | 20°F | 25% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 16 | 36°F | 19°F | 25% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 17 | 35°F | 19°F | 25% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 18 | 35°F | 19°F | 25% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 19 | 35°F | 19°F | 25% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 20 | 34°F | 18°F | 25% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 21 | 34°F | 18°F | 25% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 22 | 34°F | 18°F | 25% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 23 | 34°F | 17°F | 25% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 24 | 33°F | 17°F | 25% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 25 | 33°F | 17°F | 25% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 26 | 33°F | 17°F | 25% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 27 | 33°F | 17°F | 25% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 28 | 32°F | 16°F | 26% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 29 | 32°F | 16°F | 26% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 30 | 32°F | 16°F | 26% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 31 | 32°F | 16°F | 26% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
- Normal high
- 36°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 20°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 1.58 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 80.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 7.9 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 27
- Daylight
- 9 h 30 min to 9 h 10 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 68%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014933; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Des Moines in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 25% on average, highest around December 30 (26%). In all, 1.58 in falls on 8 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Des Moines, 27 nights fall to freezing, 12 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 7.9 inches.
Snow falls on 6 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 10 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014933.
How humid and windy is Des Moines in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 29°F with 63% relative humidity and a dew point of 18°F; at 6 a.m. it is 20°F with 80% humidity. The wind averages 10.1 mph, most often from the west in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 20°F | 15°F | 80% | 9.3 mph | 39% |
| 9 a.m. | 21°F | 16°F | 79% | 10.1 mph | – |
| noon | 27°F | 18°F | 68% | 11.6 mph | 28% |
| 3 p.m. | 29°F | 18°F | 63% | 12.2 mph | – |
| 6 p.m. | 26°F | 18°F | 70% | 9.8 mph | 34% |
| 9 p.m. | 24°F | 17°F | 75% | 9.5 mph | 44% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00014933. Hourly normals exist only for NOAA's first-order stations; a dash where NOAA publishes no value for that hour (the sky at some hours).
What are the records for December in Des Moines?
The warmest December temperature on Des Moines's official record (since 1878) is 74°F, on December 15, 2021; the coldest is −22°F, on December 23, 1989. The wettest December brought 5.44 in (2015); the snowiest, 30.3 inches (2000).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 27.7°F: 2021 34.8°F (+7.1), 2022 24.4°F (−3.3), 2023 37.4°F (+9.7), 2024 30.8°F (+3.1), 2025 27.4°F (−0.3). 3 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34.8°F | +7.1°F | 0.77 in |
| 2022 | 24.4°F | −3.3°F | 1.99 in |
| 2023 | 37.4°F | +9.7°F | 1.54 in |
| 2024 | 30.8°F | +3.1°F | 1.66 in |
| 2025 | 27.4°F | −0.3°F | 0.83 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record DSMthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014933. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Des Moines compare across Iowa?
Across the 132 places PlainClimate covers in Iowa, December normal highs run from 27°F in Northwood to 38°F in Keokuk; Des Moines's is 36°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.