Fort Dodge, Iowa 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

361
FXUS63 KDMX 042330
AFDDMX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
630 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

 ...Updated for the 00z Aviation Discussion...

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Cold front moving across Iowa today. Thunderstorms exiting
  southeast Iowa this evening. Light showers overnight into
  Tuesday morning.

- Cooler the next few days with highs in the 60s. Overnight
  lows in the 30s to 40s may result in frost concerns, mainly
  Tuesday night/Wednesday morning and Wednesday night/Thursday
  morning.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/...
Issued at 133 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

A cold front is pushing across Iowa today and will be the focus for
weather impacts over the next 24 hours. So far today the front has
made it approximately halfway across the state, moving northwest to
southeast. Temperatures in central and southern Iowa ahead of the
front are in the upper 70s to low 80s while area behind the front
have been in the mid to upper 60s. Meanwhile a plume of gulf
moisture is pushing north. This will intersect with the cold front
as it continues to sink south. Based on the speed of the front today
and current placement, expect that initiation along the front will
occur in far southeast Iowa and quickly pushing outside the area
late this afternoon. Gusty winds are the primary hazard with storms
that do develop, given very dry low levels with inverst-v soundings.
Deep mixing ahead of initiation has allowed for gusts of 25-35
mph this afternoon. Should the front slow down and a more robust
cell develop in the area as better moisture is allowed a bit
further north, that cell could also develop hail. Again, based
on the timing of the front, expect that most severe activity
will be southeast of the area this evening.

The secondary front with cooler air pushes into the area this
evening and overnight. This will bring a period of post-frontal
showers to the area. These are already seen on satellite and radar
across South Dakota into Minnesota. Scattered light showers will
pass across northern Iowa this evening, becoming more widespread in
central to southern Iowa overnight, lingering south through Tuesday
morning. Much cooler air settles across the area Tuesday with highs
in the 50s.

&&

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
Issued at 133 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

With much colder air in place the threat for frost/freeze is back
through the middle of this week. Tuesday night-Wednesday morning
(low 30s north) and Wednesday night-Thursday morning (widespread mid
30s) are the coldest, though both nights still have complications
from cloud cover. As the main trough axis starts to shift east
late week warmer air will shift into the area with mid 60s
returning Thursday and Friday. A quick moving and rather weak
embedded shortwave may try to sneak across the area Thursday or
Friday bringing light rain to the area, however there are timing
differences at this time amongst EC/GEFS guidance that make
refining the timeframe a challenge. A more robust trough looks
to move across the midwest Sunday into Monday and will provide
the next window for showers and thunderstorms.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 625 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

VFR conditions are forecast through the TAF period with CIGS
above 5000 ft and elevated showers will affect TAF sites
overnight. Otherwise, strong and gusty surface winds from the
northwest will abate overnight.

&&

.DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Hagenhoff
LONG TERM...Hagenhoff
AVIATION...DMD