Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Des Moines, IA
Issued by NWS Des Moines, IA
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534 FXUS63 KDMX 081927 AFDDMX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 227 PM CDT Tue Sep 8 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Reintensification expected along a cold front moving across Iowa this afternoon and early evening. A few strong to severe storms may produce gusty winds a pockets of heavy rain. Showers linger across southern/southeastern Iowa through Wednesday morning. - More seasonal temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s the rest of this week. - Additional thunderstorm chances later Friday into Saturday and again Sunday into early next week. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... Issued at 226 PM CDT Tue Sep 8 2026 A line of showers has lingered across north central Iowa through the morning and into the early afternoon, very slowly sinking toward central Iowa. Warm air advection in the warm sector of the low is ongoing with station in far southern Iowa reporting temperatures into the low to mid 90s this afternoon. This has allowed for destabilization ahead of the boundary with MLCAPE around 1500-2000 J/kg already. This prefrontal convection will continue to bubble this afternoon ahead of the main cold front that has just reached far northwest Iowa around 2 pm. Daytime heating should help to reinvigorate the ongoing convection as it reaches central Iowa and there is a window from around 21-03z for stronger storms to develop. Any stronger cores would primarily present a damaging wind concern with dry low levels noted in soundings lending a microburst potential. Those would be fairly short lived. Shear is largely parallel to the boundary, but if a bowing segment could orient moving ENE with the shear a more organized wind signal could develop. SPC has also outlined a 2% tornado risk. This would be difficult to come by in this environment with parallel shear and LCLs over 1200 m but stretching with initial updrafts may carry some risk. There is also a hydro concern this evening and overnight. The environment is fairly supportive with PWATs of 2-2.25" (very high for this time of year) and deep warm cloud layers over 4500 m for efficient rain production. The 12z HREF indicated a widespread 1- 1.5" for much of the area with areas east of I-35 potentially seeing pockets of 2-4+". CAMs through today have consistently indicated pockets of 4-5+" are possible, though placement is tougher to nail down. After the initial increase in strength/coverage with daytime heating, secondary rejuvenation of cores is anticipated as the LLJ increases overnight. Shear parallel to the boundary will help allow for training cells, tough the boundary itself will continue to sink south overnight with not current indication of it stalling out. Based on where ongoing convection is lining up and expectations for diurnal strengthening and LLJ enhancement, somewhere in the highway 30 to I-80 corridor seems to be the most expected area. While antecedent conditions are quite dry, areas in town with poorer drainage could see a flash flood concern later this evening and overnight. Post-frontal showers linger across southern Iowa Wednesday morning before finally exiting the area. In northern Iowa, patchy fog is possible Wednesday morning behind the front and cooler air filters into the area. Wednesday highs will be more seasonal in the low 80s and these temperatures are expected to last through the end of the week. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... Issued at 226 PM CDT Tue Sep 8 2026 After a drier period Thursday and much of Friday, our next system arrives later Friday into Saturday as a deepening shortwave traverses the area. SPC has outlined a Day 4 risk area for this as a plume of instability increases in conjunction with better kinematic forcing. Another more robust system looks to move across the area Sunday into early next week. Both system will help to bring temperatures down and by early next weeks highs may be in the upper 60s to low 70s areawide. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 1240 PM CDT Tue Sep 8 2026 A line of showers is in place across north central Iowa ahead of a cold front that will move across the state through the afternoon and overnight. Storms may strengthen this afternoon into early evening with a few stronger storms capable of gusty winds. Otherwise heavy rain will be the main hazard. These will sink south across the state overnight, lingering across southern Iowa, including KOTM, thorugh Wednesday morning. In northern Iowa patchy fog is possible Wednesday morning behind front, mainly impacting sites KALO/KMCW but potentially reaching west to KFOD. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SHORT TERM...Hagenhoff LONG TERM...Hagenhoff AVIATION...Hagenhoff