240
FXUS63 KDMX 192040
AFDDMX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
240 PM CST FRI DEC 19 2025
KEY MESSAGES
- LOW CHANCE (<20%) OF SNOW SATURDAY MORNING WITH LITTLE TO NO
ACCUMULATIONS.
- GRADUAL WARMING TREND OVER THE WEEKEND WITH STRONGER WARMING
MONDAY AND BEYOND. APPROACH RECORD HIGHS ON CHRISTMAS.
- FOG POTENTIAL IN NORTHERN IOWA ON THE UPCOMING WEEKDAY NIGHTS.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 236 PM CST FRI DEC 19 2025
OVERALL PATTERN FOR THE FORECAST PERIOD FAVORS A WARMING TREND, BUT
WE'LL HAVE A FROPAS TO GET THROUGH THIS WEEKEND BEFORE WE SEE THE
REAL WARMING TREND IN STORE FOR NEXT WEEK. SOUTHWEST WINDS ALOFT
HAVE ALREADY STARTED TODAY, SOME OF THAT FLOW TRANSLATING TO THE
SURFACE NEAR THE MO RIVER. THIS MEANS THAT TEMPERATURES WILL WARM
OVERNIGHT FOR THE SOUTH/WEST. LOWS IN THE SNOWPACKED AREAS TO THE
NORTH AND EAST ARE AT THE MERCY OF CLOUD COVER. THETA-E ADVECTION
WILL BUILD LATE TONIGHT WHICH WILL INCREASE CLOUD COVER. A COLD
FRONT WILL DRAG ACROSS THE STATE IN THE MORNING AND WILL HAVE A
GLANCING BLOW OF LIGHT SNOW IN NORTHERN IOWA, BUT THE SNOW WILL BE
TRANSIENT ENOUGH THAT ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LITTLE TO NONE. SYNOPTIC
SUPPORT DWINDLES AS THE FRONT SINKS INTO IOWA THROUGH THE MORNING,
SO THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES DECREASES WITH TIME. HIGH PRESSURE AND
CLEAR SKIES FOLLOW THAT NIGHT. THE CLEAR SKIES OVERNIGHT MEAN THAT
THE NORTHEAST HALF OF THE STATE WILL AGAIN HAVE A COLD NIGHT WITH
SINGLE DIGIT LOWS. WAA MAKES ANOTHER RESURGENCE SUNDAY BEHIND
THE SURFACE HIGH. ITS LINGERING PRESENCE WILL KEEP SNOWPACK OVER
NORTHERN IOWA A LITTLE LONGER BECAUSE WET BULBS WILL LARGELY
REMAIN BELOW FREEZING. THE THERMAL RIDGE WILL MAKE A SECOND
APPROACH AT THE STATE MONDAY, STARTING WITH A ROUND OF THETA-E
ADVECTION. THAT TRANSLATES TO CLOUD COVER IN IOWA AND
PRECIPITATION CHANCES ALONG ITS LEADING EDGE NORTH OF IOWA. THE
NEXT FEW NIGHTS COULD BE WINDOWS FOR SOME FOG OVER THE FRESH
SNOWMELT IN THE NORTH/NORTHEAST. ANOTHER BRIEF PUSH OF MOISTURE
WEDNESDAY BRINGS LOW (<20%) CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION FOR
EASTERN IOWA.
UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL THEN PREVAIL FOR MUCH OF THE HOLIDAY WEEK,
PEAKING RIGHT AT CHRISTMAS TIME. THERE IS A >50% CHANCE THAT
SOUTHERN IOWA WILL REACH 60 DEGREES BY CHRISTMAS DAY. THIS IS THANKS
TO THE EML THAT SETS UP ALOFT WITH 850MB TEMPERATURES AT OR
EXCEEDING 15 DEGREES C. THIS FAR OUT, WE ARE ALREADY FORECASTING
NEAR RECORD HIGHS FOR CITIES SUCH AS OTTUMWA AND DES MOINES.
AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/
ISSUED AT 1125 AM CST FRI DEC 19 2025
VFR CIGS TO PREVAIL FOR MUCH OF THE PERIOD, ALTHOUGH THERE COULD
BE A WINDOW OF CIG RESTRICTIONS WILL THE PASSING OF A FRONT
AROUND 12Z FOR NORTHERN SITES, NAMELY KMCW. LLWS LIKELY FOR ALL
SITES OVERNIGHT, HIGHEST FOR KDSM AND KOTM. WINDS WILL BECOME
NORTHWESTERLY THROUGH THE MORNING AS THE FRONT PASSES.
DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NONE.
DISCUSSION...JIMENEZ
AVIATION...JIMENEZ
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