IOWA — Temperatures will be well above average today as a strong southwest wind kicks in and pushes highs about 30 degrees above average. The record high for March 10th in Des Moines is 75 in 2021, and we may tie that today. The average high temperature is 46 degrees.

WARM & WIND TO START

It will be a very windy day with strong winds from the southwest. They will be especially high from noon through 8 PM. The dewpoint is low with very dry air, so there is a fire risk today. Fires, if started, could spread quickly.

We will have a brief drop in temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday to the 50s and 60s thanks to the passage of a cold front late Monday night. This will turn the winds more from the north on Tuesday and bring temperatures down slightly. But we do heat back up to the 70s on Thursday and Friday out ahead of a developing storm system that could bring parts of Iowa severe storms by Friday afternoon and evening.

END OF WEEK SEVERE STORM POTENTIAL

Early trends indicate that a line of storms may form along I-35 in Iowa on Friday late afternoon and push into eastern Iowa as strong to severe storms. Various threats and timing will become more well defined as we get closer to the event. Strong non-thunderstorm winds are also a potential hazard with this area of low pressure at the end of the work week.

Rain with some snow in northwest to northern Iowa will be possible on Saturday. For a full look at this week’s forecast, visit our weather page here.