Des Moines weather in October: Des Moines, Iowa: normal highs, lows, rain and records for October
Des Moines in October has a normal high of 63°F and a normal low of 43°F, a daily mean of 53°F, falling from 71°F on the 1st to 56°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 9 days in a normal October, 2.78 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 17°C and low of 6°C, 71 mm of precipitation and 1 cm of snow in October.
- 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 October?
The normal high is 63°F and the normal low 43°F, for a daily mean of 53.2°F. October is 13.0°F cooler than September and 13.9°F warmer than November. October is the 6th warmest month of the year in Des Moines and the 7th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 15°F, from 71°F on October 1 to 56°F on October 31. From one year to the next October's mean temperature typically moves about 3.0°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Octobers in three average between 50°F and 56°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 28%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1 | 71°F | 49°F | 28% | 16% |
| October 8 | 68°F | 46°F | 27% | 16% |
| October 15 | 64°F | 43°F | 27% | 15% |
| October 22 | 60°F | 40°F | 27% | 14% |
| October 31 | 56°F | 37°F | 27% | 14% |
Every day of October: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon October 1, coldest night October 31)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1 | 71°F | 49°F | 28% | 16% | 11 h 50 min |
| October 2 | 71°F | 49°F | 28% | 16% | 11 h 50 min |
| October 3 | 70°F | 48°F | 28% | 16% | 11 h 40 min |
| October 4 | 70°F | 48°F | 28% | 16% | 11 h 40 min |
| October 5 | 69°F | 48°F | 27% | 16% | 11 h 40 min |
| October 6 | 69°F | 47°F | 27% | 16% | 11 h 30 min |
| October 7 | 68°F | 47°F | 27% | 16% | 11 h 30 min |
| October 8 | 68°F | 46°F | 27% | 16% | 11 h 30 min |
| October 9 | 67°F | 46°F | 27% | 16% | 11 h 30 min |
| October 10 | 67°F | 45°F | 27% | 15% | 11 h 20 min |
| October 11 | 66°F | 45°F | 27% | 15% | 11 h 20 min |
| October 12 | 66°F | 45°F | 27% | 15% | 11 h 20 min |
| October 13 | 65°F | 44°F | 27% | 15% | 11 h 20 min |
| October 14 | 65°F | 44°F | 27% | 15% | 11 h 10 min |
| October 15 | 64°F | 43°F | 27% | 15% | 11 h 10 min |
| October 16 | 63°F | 43°F | 27% | 15% | 11 h 10 min |
| October 17 | 63°F | 43°F | 27% | 15% | 11 h |
| October 18 | 62°F | 42°F | 27% | 15% | 11 h |
| October 19 | 62°F | 42°F | 27% | 15% | 11 h |
| October 20 | 61°F | 41°F | 27% | 14% | 11 h |
| October 21 | 61°F | 41°F | 27% | 14% | 10 h 50 min |
| October 22 | 60°F | 40°F | 27% | 14% | 10 h 50 min |
| October 23 | 60°F | 40°F | 27% | 14% | 10 h 50 min |
| October 24 | 59°F | 40°F | 27% | 14% | 10 h 50 min |
| October 25 | 59°F | 39°F | 27% | 14% | 10 h 40 min |
| October 26 | 58°F | 39°F | 27% | 14% | 10 h 40 min |
| October 27 | 58°F | 38°F | 27% | 14% | 10 h 40 min |
| October 28 | 57°F | 38°F | 27% | 14% | 10 h 40 min |
| October 29 | 57°F | 38°F | 27% | 14% | 10 h 30 min |
| October 30 | 56°F | 37°F | 27% | 14% | 10 h 30 min |
| October 31 | 56°F | 37°F | 27% | 14% | 10 h 30 min |
- Normal high
- 63°FOctober average
- Normal low
- 43°FOctober average
- Precipitation
- 2.78 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 90.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 0.5 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 4
- Daylight
- 11 h 50 min to 10 h 30 minOctober 1 to October 31
- Days at 70°F or more
- 10
- Days at 80°F or more
- 3
- Sunshine
- 73%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 October?
On a given October day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 27% on average, highest around October 1 (28%). In all, 2.78 in falls on 9 days of a normal October, 1 of them with an inch or more.
In a normal October in Des Moines, 4 nights fall to freezing and snowfall averages 0.5 inches.
Snow falls on 1 day in a normal October.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014933.
How humid and windy is Des Moines in October?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 54°F with 49% relative humidity and a dew point of 35°F; at 6 a.m. it is 40°F with 78% 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. | 40°F | 34°F | 78% | 9.0 mph | 45% |
| 9 a.m. | 44°F | 35°F | 71% | 10.7 mph | 41% |
| noon | 51°F | 36°F | 55% | 12.5 mph | 33% |
| 3 p.m. | 54°F | 35°F | 49% | 12.8 mph | 40% |
| 6 p.m. | 49°F | 35°F | 57% | 9.0 mph | 36% |
| 9 p.m. | 46°F | 35°F | 65% | 9.0 mph | 52% |
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 October in Des Moines?
The warmest October temperature on Des Moines's official record (since 1878) is 95°F, on October 5, 1963; the coldest is 7°F, on October 28, 1925. The wettest October brought 7.41 in (2019); the snowiest, 7.4 inches (1980).
The October mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 53.2°F: 2021 57.1°F (+3.9), 2022 53.5°F (+0.3), 2023 55.5°F (+2.3), 2024 60.0°F (+6.8), 2025 59.0°F (+5.8). 5 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| October | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 57.1°F | +3.9°F | 6.30 in |
| 2022 | 53.5°F | +0.3°F | 1.03 in |
| 2023 | 55.5°F | +2.3°F | 1.90 in |
| 2024 | 60.0°F | +6.8°F | 2.10 in |
| 2025 | 59.0°F | +5.8°F | 2.27 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record DSMthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014933. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does October in Des Moines compare across Iowa?
Across the 132 places PlainClimate covers in Iowa, October normal highs run from 57°F in Northwood to 67°F in Glenwood; Des Moines's is 63°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.