112 FXUS63 KDMX 060336 AFDDMXArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 1036 PM CDT Fri Sep 5 2025
...Updated for the 06z Aviation Discussion...
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Forecast is dry through the weekend.
- Cool weather persists for a couple more days. Sunday morning low temperatures in the upper 30s across part of northern and western Iowa.
- Warming next week, with rain chances returning intermittently (40-60% chance around Monday night, otherwise lower than 30%).
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 138 PM CDT Fri Sep 5 2025
A large cyclone is currently parked over Ontario, with its cyclonic flow extending down across the Upper Midwest. A lobe of vorticity is evident in water vapor satellite imagery, crossing South Dakota and headed toward northern Iowa this afternoon and evening. Visible satellite imagery shows a large field of diurnally generated stratocumulus clouds, covering much of the region and enhanced by modest low-level cold air advection. As the vorticity lobe swings overhead later today and provides some mid-level lift, it may be sufficient to generate a few sprinkles or light showers mainly in our northern counties. However, forecast soundings illustrate most of the associated lift will occur above the cloud layer, and the moisture is quite shallow so any precipitation that does occur will likely be very light and may not even reach the ground. Indeed, regional radar imagery depicts a few light echoes approaching the SD/MN/IA tri-state area, but so far no precipitation has registered at surface observing sites beneath these returns. Nevertheless, with the possibility of slight enhancement as the afternoon progresses and in the interests of consistency, will maintain the slight chance (20%) of showers forecast in our north and northeast late this afternoon and evening. In any event, no impacts are anticipated.
From tonight onward the Ontario gyre will begin to move off slowly to the east, gradually weakening the cyclonic flow over Iowa. Another lobe of vorticity will round the southwestern periphery of the system again on Saturday, but farther northeast than today with any associated showers more likely over Wisconsin or far northeastern Iowa, so the forecast remains dry for our service area. Concurrently, a ridge of surface high pressure will build into Iowa from the northeast on Saturday night and remain overhead on Sunday. This will result in light winds and mostly clear skies, with temperatures falling to their lowest point of the week on Sunday morning but then rebounding by Sunday afternoon to levels higher than those seen the preceding couple of days. The current forecast calls for lows in the upper 30s across parts of northern and western Iowa Sunday morning, with highs ranging in the mid 60s to lower 70s across Iowa by Sunday afternoon.
From Monday through most of next week a synoptic pattern change will occur, with roughly zonal 500 MB flow over Iowa on Monday while a broad ridge develops over the Rockies. A weak trough will dig over the Midwest around Monday night after which the larger ridge will slowly traverse the central U.S. during the latter half of the week. Long-range models show significant variance in their depiction of the strength of the ridge, as well as the timing and nature of various subtle impulses moving through or over it during this time frame. The result is intermittent, generally low (20-30%) rain chances next week, but with little in the way of large or strong storm systems foreseen at this range. The best chance for rain and thunderstorms (40-60%) will come from around Monday night into Tuesday in association with the aforementioned trough coming overhead, but even then it appears instability and shear will be modest. Temperatures will also be milder in this scenario, with daily highs likely in the mid-70s to mid-80s for much of the week.
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.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 1036 PM CDT Fri Sep 5 2025
Confidence remains high in VFR conditions prevailing through the period at all terminals. Winds will be light from the west overnight before becoming from the northwest at around 10 knots by late Saturday morning through the afternoon hours. Cumulus clouds with bases as low as FL050 will also develop by late morning into the afternoon with coverage up to BKN over parts of north central, northeast, and east central Iowa. These clouds will dissipate and the winds will diminish around sunset.
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.DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None.
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DISCUSSION...Lee AVIATION...Ansorge
NWS DMX Office Area Forecast Discussion