Climate · Americas
Des Moines climate, year-round
United States · Humid continental · Updated May 2026
Best months
May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep
Best for: Midwest nomads who want classic four-season continental weather.
Year at a glance
Cells coloured by typical daytime average temperature. ★ = best months for nomads.
Jan
-6°C
70%
1mm
Feb
-3°C
70%
1mm
Mar
4°C
65%
2mm
Apr
11°C
60%
3mm
May
17°C
65%
4mm
Jun
22°C
70%
4mm
Jul
24°C
72%
3mm
Aug
23°C
73%
3mm
Sep
19°C
72%
3mm
Oct
12°C
68%
2mm
Nov
4°C
70%
2mm
Dec
-3°C
73%
1mm
Summer peak
24°C
July · 72% humidity
Winter low
-6°C
January · 70% humidity
Climate type
Humid continental
Moderate summers, Moderate winters
Field notes
Cold winters (Jan -6°C average, regular snow and ice storms), warm humid summers (peak 24°C, frequent afternoon thunderstorms), distinct shoulders. Spring brings tornado risk (April–June). Fall foliage (October) is the postcard window.
Visa for nomads
Low nomad-friendlyPathway
Extendable tourist
Program
—
Typical max stay
6 months
ESTA Visa Waiver (90 days) for most western passports, no extensions in-country; B-2 visitor visa up to 6 months. No US digital-nomad visa exists. Long-term residence requires H-1B / O-1 / EB green-card paths.
Editorial summary, not legal advice. Verify with the relevant consulate before applying — visa programs change with little notice.
Cost of living in Des Moines: ~$2,200/mo
Mid-tier monthly across rent, food, transport, utilities, and coworking.
Cities with a similar climate
Editorial estimates aggregated from public climatological summaries — typical monthly averages, not forecasts. Treat as order-of-magnitude. Microclimate, altitude, and recent extreme weather can swing these values significantly.