


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Des Moines, IA
Issued by NWS Des Moines, IA
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508 FXUS63 KDMX 140347 AFDDMX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 1047 PM CDT Wed Aug 13 2025 ...Updated for the 06z Aviation Discussion... .KEY MESSAGES... - Mainly dry rest of today and Thursday, with a remaining low chance for showers into early Thursday (<20%) - Showers and storms possible overnight Thursday into Friday and again into Saturday morning, with a low severe potential at this time - Additional on and off chances for storms this weekend into early next week; hot and humid as well && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 242 PM CDT Wed Aug 13 2025 Quiet conditions across the state this afternoon as high pressure remains over the region. Diurnal cumulus per satellite imagery has developed across central into eastern Iowa, which will likely remain at least into the evening before gradually clearing out. Temperatures have warmed into the upper 70s to low 80s, and outside of a few degree increases in some places yet today, highs should top out in the upper 70s to low 80s across the state. By this evening and into Thursday, low-level southwesterly flow will increase over the western portion of the central CONUS, with a low level jet maximized over Nebraska into South Dakota. This along with moisture pooling over the same area and the passage of a shortwave arriving in western Iowa tonight into Thursday morning will allow for showers to at least make it into west/northwest Iowa. However, dry air further east with high pressure remaining over much of the state will continue to keep Iowa largely dry, as the majority of model guidance continues to show. Therefore have only made minor edits to PoPs with a slight increase in values far west where it may reach into the CWA. Otherwise, increasing winds are expected Thursday with gusts upwards of 20-25 mph, especially west from late morning through the early evening. Highs will be slightly warmer in the low to mid 80s for much of the state. As the upper level ridge remains generally in the central CONUS to end the work week, low level southwesterly flow will continue to settle across the state Friday with widespread warm air advection that will warm temperatures back into the upper 80s to low 90s through the weekend. Another shortwave by late Thursday into Friday is expected to move across the Midwest, which per guidance tries to bring another chance for precipitation with it into at least northern Iowa. Models vary somewhat in the evolution of the activity as the wave passes eastward though, with the NAM keeping the state largely dry while the Euro/GFS indicate more broad QPF being generated over northern into central Iowa. Given that the moisture axis does try to advance further eastward, cannot rule out at least a low potential for showers, so low chances (<30%) remain in the forecast. A few thunderstorms may occur with this activity given the unstable conditions and presence of at least 25-30 knots of shear into western Iowa at least, though fading further east. The pattern of overnight/morning convection remains in the signal for the weekend as well, with the longer range guidance depicting the formation of an MCS over central/southern MN that may try to clip a part of north/northeast Iowa Saturday morning. The main axis of higher instability and shear values generally remain north of Iowa during this time, with a Marginal Risk per SPC just reaching into far northwest Iowa. Beyond Saturday, additional shortwaves riding the upper level ridge look to bring on and off chances for showers and storms for Sunday into the start of the next week with a nightly recurrence of the low level jet over eastern Nebraska/western Iowa, though details regarding location, timing and intensity of any potential storms this far out are not well known and will continue to be refined in the coming days. Hot and humid conditions will remain overhead during this time frame, with daily highs in the low to mid 90s and heat indices up to 100+ degrees, paired with dewpoints in the 70s. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 1047 PM CDT Wed Aug 13 2025 VFR conditions to prevail at area terminals through the period. Thunderstorm complex across the plains to send mid-level clouds in - before sunrise across the north, and around sunrise in the central and south. 00z models show some isolated elevated showers moving through the daytime hours, however dry sub- cloud layer would keep anything more than perhaps a sprinkle or two at bay. Otherwise, with surface high pressure continuing to slide off to the east, should see southeast winds slowly increase as gradient returns. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Bury AVIATION...Hahn