Des Moines (WA) Temperature by Month
Des Moines in Washington State, United States of America sees significant seasonal temperature differences, with daytime highs between 7°C (45°F) in December and 25°C (77°F) in July, averaging 16°C (61°F) annually. Explore the full monthly breakdown below.
Des Moines Monthly Temperatures
Visitors to Des Moines can expect significant temperature changes throughout the year. Nighttime temperatures also vary widely, ranging from 13°C (55°F) in July to 2°C (36°F) in December.
The chart below illustrates the average maximum day and minimum night temperatures in Des Moines by month:
Low temperatures are most often recorded between 4 AM and 6 AM, while highs typically occur around 3 PM. July, the city's warmest month, sees 312 hours of sunshine.
The chart below shows the average temperature throughout the year:
Temperature: Des Moines vs the United States of America
The map below shows the annual temperature across the United States of America. You can also select individual months if you want to compare a specific time of year.
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Des Moines vs World: Temperature Compared
Des Moines's average annual maximum temperature is 16°C (61°F). To put that in context, here's how it compares to a few well-known destinations:
Barcelona, Spain has an annual average of around 21°C (70°F), with warm summers and mild, fairly short winters.
On the cooler end, Oslo, Norway averages just 10°C (50°F) annually, with pleasant summers but long, cold winters.
Buenos Aires, Argentina averages 23°C (73°F) a year, with hot summers and mild winters — and seasons reversed compared to Europe.
Melbourne, Australia averages 20°C (68°F) annually — known for unpredictable weather, with four seasons sometimes happening in one day.
What Does the Temperature Feel Like in Des Moines?
Temperature alone doesn't tell the whole story — humidity plays a big role in how warm or cold it actually feels. High humidity in summer makes the heat feel more intense, particularly once temperatures climb above 25°C. In winter, the same humidity can make cold air feel sharper than the thermometer suggests.
In the cooler months, when temperatures drop below 10°C, high humidity makes the cold feel more cutting than it would in dry conditions.
In Des Moines, December is the coolest month, with average highs of 7°C (45°F) and humidity around 80% — considered very high. In July, the warmest month, temperatures average 25°C (77°F) with 65% humidity — conditions that feel high. For a full picture, see our humidity page.
Climate temperature data is typically calculated as a 30-year average. This smooths out year-to-year variability and gives a more reliable picture of what a place is actually like, rather than what happened in any single unusual year.
The readings come from a range of sources — land-based weather stations, ocean buoys, ships, and satellites. That data is collected by weather services around the world, then pooled, quality-checked, and averaged to produce the climate records you see here.
Whether a city sits on the coast or deep inland makes a significant difference to its climate. Coastal areas tend to have more stable temperatures year-round — large bodies of water absorb heat slowly in summer and release it gradually in winter, keeping extremes in check. Cities far from the sea don't benefit from that buffer, which is why continental climates tend to have hotter summers and colder winters than their coastal counterparts at the same latitude.
For more on Des Moines's weather — including monthly rainfall, sunshine hours, and humidity — visit our Des Moines climate page.
