Des Moines weather in February: Des Moines, Iowa: normal highs, lows, rain and records for February
Des Moines in February has a normal high of 36°F and a normal low of 18°F, a daily mean of 27°F, rising from 32°F on the 1st to 41°F by the 29th. Measurable precipitation falls on 8 days in a normal February, 1.34 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 2°C and low of −8°C, 34 mm of precipitation and 26 cm of snow in February.
- 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 February?
The normal high is 36°F and the normal low 18°F, for a daily mean of 26.9°F. February is 4.6°F warmer than January and 12.5°F cooler than March. February is the 11th warmest month of the year in Des Moines and the 11th wettest, and the snowiest. Across the month the normal high rises 9°F, from 32°F on February 1 to 41°F on February 29. From one year to the next February's mean temperature typically moves about 6.4°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Februarys in three average between 21°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 30%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 1 | 32°F | 14°F | 28% | 13% |
| February 8 | 33°F | 16°F | 29% | 13% |
| February 15 | 36°F | 18°F | 29% | 14% |
| February 22 | 38°F | 21°F | 29% | 15% |
| February 28 | 41°F | 23°F | 30% | 15% |
Every day of February: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon February 29, coldest night February 1)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 1 | 32°F | 14°F | 28% | 13% | 10 h |
| February 2 | 32°F | 14°F | 28% | 13% | 10 h |
| February 3 | 32°F | 15°F | 28% | 13% | 10 h 10 min |
| February 4 | 32°F | 15°F | 28% | 13% | 10 h 10 min |
| February 5 | 33°F | 15°F | 29% | 13% | 10 h 10 min |
| February 6 | 33°F | 15°F | 29% | 13% | 10 h 10 min |
| February 7 | 33°F | 15°F | 29% | 13% | 10 h 20 min |
| February 8 | 33°F | 16°F | 29% | 13% | 10 h 20 min |
| February 9 | 34°F | 16°F | 29% | 13% | 10 h 20 min |
| February 10 | 34°F | 16°F | 29% | 14% | 10 h 20 min |
| February 11 | 34°F | 17°F | 29% | 14% | 10 h 30 min |
| February 12 | 35°F | 17°F | 29% | 14% | 10 h 30 min |
| February 13 | 35°F | 17°F | 29% | 14% | 10 h 30 min |
| February 14 | 35°F | 18°F | 29% | 14% | 10 h 30 min |
| February 15 | 36°F | 18°F | 29% | 14% | 10 h 40 min |
| February 16 | 36°F | 18°F | 29% | 14% | 10 h 40 min |
| February 17 | 36°F | 19°F | 29% | 14% | 10 h 40 min |
| February 18 | 37°F | 19°F | 29% | 14% | 10 h 40 min |
| February 19 | 37°F | 19°F | 29% | 14% | 10 h 50 min |
| February 20 | 37°F | 20°F | 29% | 14% | 10 h 50 min |
| February 21 | 38°F | 20°F | 29% | 15% | 10 h 50 min |
| February 22 | 38°F | 21°F | 29% | 15% | 10 h 50 min |
| February 23 | 39°F | 21°F | 29% | 15% | 11 h |
| February 24 | 39°F | 21°F | 29% | 15% | 11 h |
| February 25 | 40°F | 22°F | 30% | 15% | 11 h |
| February 26 | 40°F | 22°F | 30% | 15% | 11 h |
| February 27 | 41°F | 23°F | 30% | 15% | 11 h 10 min |
| February 28 | 41°F | 23°F | 30% | 15% | 11 h 10 min |
| February 29 | 41°F | 23°F | 30% | 15% | 11 h 10 min |
- Normal high
- 36°FFebruary average
- Normal low
- 18°FFebruary average
- Precipitation
- 1.34 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 80.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 10.2 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 25
- Daylight
- 10 h to 11 h 10 minFebruary 1 to February 28
- Sunshine
- 74%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 February?
On a given February day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 29% on average, highest around February 29 (30%). In all, 1.34 in falls on 8 days of a normal February.
In a normal February in Des Moines, 25 nights fall to freezing, 12 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 10.2 inches.
Snow falls on 6 days in a normal February, and an inch or more covers the ground on 15 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014933.
How humid and windy is Des Moines in February?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 38°F with 55% relative humidity and a dew point of 23°F; at 6 a.m. it is 25°F with 78% humidity. The wind averages 10.6 mph, most often from the west-northwest in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 25°F | 19°F | 78% | 9.5 mph | 43% |
| 9 a.m. | 28°F | 20°F | 73% | 10.9 mph | 33% |
| noon | 35°F | 22°F | 60% | 12.4 mph | 26% |
| 3 p.m. | 38°F | 23°F | 55% | 12.7 mph | 30% |
| 6 p.m. | 35°F | 23°F | 61% | 10.9 mph | 30% |
| 9 p.m. | 31°F | 22°F | 69% | 9.8 mph | 47% |
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 February in Des Moines?
The warmest February temperature on Des Moines's official record (since 1878) is 78°F, on February 24, 1930; the coldest is −26°F, on February 13, 1905. The wettest February brought 3.20 in (1915); the snowiest, 25.1 inches (2019).
The February mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 26.9°F: 2021 15.2°F (−11.7), 2022 24.2°F (−2.7), 2023 30.8°F (+3.9), 2024 40.0°F (+13.1), 2025 23.5°F (−3.4), 2026 34.7°F (+7.8). 3 of 6 ran warmer than normal.
| February | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15.2°F | −11.7°F | 0.70 in |
| 2022 | 24.2°F | −2.7°F | 0.22 in |
| 2023 | 30.8°F | +3.9°F | 2.01 in |
| 2024 | 40.0°F | +13.1°F | 0.42 in |
| 2025 | 23.5°F | −3.4°F | 0.38 in |
| 2026 | 34.7°F | +7.8°F | 0.71 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record DSMthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014933. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does February in Des Moines compare across Iowa?
Across the 132 places PlainClimate covers in Iowa, February normal highs run from 26°F in Northwood to 39°F in Shenandoah; Des Moines's is 36°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.