Des Moines weather in July

In July, Des Moines sees average daytime highs of 74°F and overnight lows near 57°F, with 1.0 in of rain across 5 wet days and about 15.3 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 72°F in the first days to 76°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in July, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 15 h 42 min at the start of July to 14 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, July is Des Moines's 2nd-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Des Moines's year-round climate.

Daytime high
74°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
57°
11th coldest
Rainfall
1.0 in
5 wet days
Daylight
15 h 24 min
4:33 AM – 7:57 PM
Cloud cover
44%
2nd clearest
Wind
4 mph
11th windiest
Solar energy
6.14 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.9
out of 10

Des Moines is city in King County, Washington, United States.

Density
1,854/km²
people per km²
Founded
1959

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in July

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 72°F in the first days to 76°F by the end.

A typical July day in Des Moines reaches about 74°F in the afternoon and slips back to 57°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 66°F and 83°F. Set against its neighbours, July runs about 6°F warmer than June and on par with August.

50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17256
27256
37256
47256
57256
67356
77357
87357
97357
107357
117457
127457
137457
147457
157458
167458
177558
187558
197558
207558
217558
227658
237658
247658
257658
267658
277658
287658
297658
307658
317658

Des Moines weather by month

How July compares with the rest of the year at a glance. July is the 2nd-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan46° / 38°6.918.42.28.71.0
Feb49° / 39°4.714.51.89.91.6
Mar52° / 40°5.517.50.811.62.3
Apr57° / 44°4.514.90.113.33.5
May64° / 49°3.012014.95.3
Jun68° / 53°2.39.5015.76.3
Jul74° / 57°1.05015.37.9
Aug75° / 58°1.34.8014.18.0
Sep69° / 53°2.68.4012.46.8
Oct59° / 47°5.314.1010.64.2
Nov50° / 42°7.6180.69.11.9
Dec45° / 38°7.017.62.18.30.8

Cloud cover in July

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in July.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of July, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 38%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15248
25347
35446
45545
55545
65644
75743
85743
95842
105941
115941
126040
136139
146139
156139
166238
176337
186337
196436
206436
216535
226733
236832
246832
256931
267030
277030
287129
297129
307129
317129

Chance of precipitation in July

Any precipitation

Des Moines gets around 1.0 in of rain over 5 wet days in July, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 16% and peaks near 24% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
124
223
323
422
521
621
720
820
919
1019
1118
1218
1318
1417
1517
1617
1716
1816
1916
2015
2114
2214
2313
2413
2512
2612
2711
2811
2910
3010
3110

Humidity in July

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of July feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, July lands in the dry band about 49% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
164342
263352
362362
461372
560382
659392
758402
857412
956422
1055432
1153443
1252453
1351463
1449474
1548484
1647495
1746495
1845505
1944506
2043516
2142517
2242517
2341527
2440528
2540528
2640528
2739538
2839538
2939538
3039538
3139538

Wind in July

Winds average 4 mph in July.

Across July, daily wind ranges from about 4 mph on the calmest days to 5 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in July

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 15 h 42 min at the start of July to 14 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 54 minutes over July. Sunrise moves from 4:22 AM to 4:50 AM, and sunset from 8:04 PM to 7:41 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
115.74:228:04
215.74:228:04
315.74:238:03
415.74:238:03
515.64:248:03
615.64:258:02
715.64:258:02
815.64:268:02
915.64:278:01
1015.54:288:01
1115.54:298:00
1215.54:297:59
1315.54:307:59
1415.44:317:58
1515.44:327:57
1615.44:337:57
1715.44:347:56
1815.34:357:55
1915.34:367:54
2015.34:377:53
2115.24:387:52
2215.24:397:51
2315.24:417:50
2415.14:427:49
2515.14:437:48
2615.04:447:47
2715.04:457:46
2815.04:467:44
2914.94:487:43
3014.94:497:42
3114.84:507:41

Solar energy in July

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in July, about 6.14 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.88 kWh/m² to a high of 6.14 kWh/m² in July across the year — July's 6.14 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.0Bright
26.0Bright
36.0Bright
46.0Intense
56.0Intense
66.0Intense
76.0Intense
86.0Intense
96.1Intense
106.1Intense
116.1Intense
126.1Intense
136.1Intense
146.1Intense
156.1Intense
166.1Intense
176.1Intense
186.1Intense
196.2Intense
206.2Intense
216.2Intense
226.2Intense
236.2Intense
246.2Intense
256.2Intense
266.2Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in July

Hazard calendar for Des Moines

In seasonPeak

None of Des Moines's seasonal hazards are active in July. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Des Moines's rainy season runs October–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is July a good time to visit Des Moines?

Our two travel scores rate July for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

7.9
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
6.4
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

July is one of the better times to visit Des Moines for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Des Moines in July

From July's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In July, Des Moines sees daytime highs around 74°F and nights near 57°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 5 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Des Moines in July

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in July peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Des Moines peaks around July 17 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 17UV 8Dec 18UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun6High
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Des Moines in July

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where July falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Des Moines is worst in September — around 22 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.4× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodGoodModerateGoodSep 1322 µg/m³Dec 177 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr12Good
May11Good
Jun10Good
Jul10Good
Aug18Moderate
Sep22Moderate
Oct12Good
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Des Moines?

Des Moines sits at 47.4°N, 122.3°W, 92 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is SeaTac, 3.7 mi away.

Topography around Des Moines

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Des Moines.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Des Moines has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 489 ft around an average of 177 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 682 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 14,413 ft.

The land around Des Moines is covered by trees (36%), water (35%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 2 miles, trees (43%), water (27%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 10 miles, and trees (76%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
489 ft
10 miles
682 ft
50 miles
14,413 ft
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
July weather nearby: SeaTac 3.7 mi · Kent 4.3 mi · Burien 5.0 mi · Federal Way 5.6 mi · Tukwila 5.6 mi · East Hill-Meridian 6.8 mi · Bryn Mawr-Skyway 7.5 mi · Renton 7.5 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Des Moines (47.4018°, -122.3243°, elevation 92 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).