2024 Compare Climate & Weather:
Detroit, MI vs Des Moines, IA
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Highlights
On average, there are 204 sunny days per year in Des Moines. Detroit averages 183 sunny days per year. The US average is 205 sunny days.
Des Moines, Iowa gets 35.9 inches of rain, on average, per year. Detroit, Michigan gets 33.5 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38.1 inches of rain per year.
Des Moines averages 32.9 inches of snow per year. Detroit averages 33 inches of snow per year. The US average is 27.8 inches of snow per year.
Weather Highlights
Des Moines, Iowa
Summer High: the July high is around 85.6 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 12.5
Rain: averages 35.9 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 32.9 inches of snow a year
Detroit, Michigan
Summer High: the July high is around 83.5 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 18.5
Rain: averages 33.5 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 33 inches of snow a year
BESTPLACES COMFORT INDEX
Des MoinesThe annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Des Moines is 6.9 (10=best), which means it is more comfortable than most places in Iowa.
6.9 / 10
September, June and May are the most pleasant months in Des Moines, while January and December are the least comfortable months.
DetroitThe annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Detroit is 6.9 (10=best), which means it is one of the most pleasant places in Michigan.
6.9 / 10
June, August and September are the most pleasant months in Detroit, while January and February are the least comfortable months.
Today's Weather - Detroit, MI
5 AM PST
Widespread Frost then Sunny
31°F
| DAY | DESCRIPTION | HIGH / LOW | WIND |
|---|
| Today | Widespread Frost then Sunny | 55° / 38° | ENE 7 mph |
| Friday | Sunny | 66° / 55° | E 7 to 13 mph |
| Saturday | Showers And Thunderstorms | 76° / 65° | S 20 mph |
| Sunday | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 80° / 64° | SW 16 to 20 mph |
| Monday | Showers And Thunderstorms Likely | 79° / 59° | SSW 14 to 21 mph |
| Tuesday | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 72° / 53° | W 12 to 15 mph |
| Wednesday | Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 76° / 55° | WSW 8 to 14 mph |
Today's Weather - Des Moines, IA
5 AM PST
Mostly Cloudy
49°F
| DAY | DESCRIPTION | HIGH / LOW | WIND |
|---|
| Today | Mostly Cloudy | 66° / 50° | SE 9 to 18 mph |
| Friday | Showers And Thunderstorms | 65° / 60° | SE 21 to 24 mph |
| Saturday | Showers And Thunderstorms Likely | 79° / 60° | SSW 21 mph |
| Sunday | Showers And Thunderstorms | 73° / 48° | S 22 mph |
| Monday | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Sunny | 63° / 47° | W 16 mph |
| Tuesday | Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 77° / 55° | SSW 8 to 15 mph |
| Wednesday | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 77° / 56° | ENE 9 to 14 mph |
Average Monthly High / Low (°F)
| Month | Detroit, MI | Des Moines, IA |
|---|
| January | 32° / 19° | 31° / 13° |
| February | 35° / 20° | 36° / 17° |
| March | 45° / 27° | 49° / 28° |
| April | 58° / 38° | 62° / 39° |
| May | 69° / 48° | 72° / 51° |
| June | 79° / 58° | 81° / 61° |
| July | 84° / 63° | 86° / 65° |
| August | 82° / 62° | 84° / 63° |
| September | 74° / 54° | 76° / 53° |
| October | 61° / 42° | 63° / 41° |
| November | 49° / 33° | 48° / 29° |
| December | 36° / 24° | 34° / 17° |
Hot, Freezing, Rainy, Snowy Days: Detroit / Des Moines
| Month | Hot Days | Freezing Days | Rainy Days | Snowy Days |
|---|
| January | 0 / 0 | 28 / 30 | 11 / 7 | 7 / 6 |
| February | 0 / 0 | 25 / 25 | 9 / 7 | 6 / 5 |
| March | 0 / 0 | 23 / 21 | 10 / 9 | 3 / 3 |
| April | 0 / 0 | 7 / 7 | 12 / 11 | 1 / 1 |
| May | 0 / 0 | 1 / 0 | 11 / 12 | 0 / 0 |
| June | 2 / 3 | 0 / 0 | 10 / 11 | 0 / 0 |
| July | 4 / 8 | 0 / 0 | 10 / 10 | 0 / 0 |
| August | 3 / 6 | 0 / 0 | 9 / 9 | 0 / 0 |
| September | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 9 / 8 | 0 / 0 |
| October | 0 / 0 | 3 / 5 | 10 / 9 | 0 / 0 |
| November | 0 / 0 | 14 / 18 | 11 / 8 | 1 / 2 |
| December | 0 / 0 | 26 / 29 | 12 / 8 | 5 / 5 |
July is the hottest month for Detroit with an average high temperature of 83.5°, which ranks it as one of the hottest places in Michigan. In Detroit, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Detroit are June, August and September.
July is the hottest month for Des Moines with an average high temperature of 85.6°, which ranks it as warmer than most places in Iowa. In Des Moines, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Des Moines are September, June and May.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Detroit with an average of 18.5°. This is one of the warmest places in Michigan.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Des Moines with an average of 12.5°. This is warmer than most places in Iowa.
In Detroit, there are 9.5 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is one of the hottest places in Michigan.
In Des Moines, there are 18.8 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most places in Iowa.
In Detroit, there are 126.7 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is one of the warmest places in Michigan.
In Des Moines, there are 135.1 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is warmer than most places in Iowa.
In Detroit, there are 2.3 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is one of the warmest places in Michigan.
In Des Moines, there are 13.6 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is warmer than most places in Iowa.
June is the wettest month in Detroit with 3.5 inches of rain, and the driest month is January with 1.8 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 29% of yearly precipitation and 18% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 33.5 inches in Detroit means that it is about average compared to other places in Michigan.
June is the wettest month in Des Moines with 5.1 inches of rain, and the driest month is January with 1.0 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 39% of yearly precipitation and 9% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 35.9 inches in Des Moines means that it is about average compared to other places in Iowa.
December is the rainiest month in Detroit with 12.1 days of rain, and February is the driest month with only 9.0 rainy days. There are 125.2 rainy days annually in Detroit, which is less rainy than most places in Michigan. The rainiest season is Summer when it rains 26% of the time and the driest is Autumn with only a 24% chance of a rainy day.
May is the rainiest month in Des Moines with 12.3 days of rain, and January is the driest month with only 6.8 rainy days. There are 107.6 rainy days annually in Des Moines, which is rainier than most places in Iowa. The rainiest season is Summer when it rains 29% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 20% chance of a rainy day.
An annual snowfall of 33.0 inches in Detroit means that it is one of the least snowy places in Michigan.
An annual snowfall of 32.9 inches in Des Moines means that it is snowier than most places in Iowa.
January is the snowiest month in Detroit with 10.2 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.
January is the snowiest month in Des Moines with 8.2 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.
DID YOU KNOW?
Many people confuse Weather and Climate, but they are different. Weather refers to the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, while Climate refers to the conditions of the atmosphere over a long period of time.
Weather, more specifically, refers to how the atmosphere behaves and its effects on life and human activities. Most people think of Weather in terms of what can be observed: temperature, humidity, precipitation, and cloudy/sunny conditions. Weather conditions constantly change on a minute-to-minute basis.
Climate is a record of the average weather conditions for a given place over a long period of time, often referred to as Climate Normals. A 30-year period of record is a common requirement to be considered a Climate Normal.
Reviews for Detroit 
2 Reviews
Hi. I'd like to know if you still feel the same way about living in Broomfield. I went there this past July to check it out (along with Lafayette, Boulder (can't More
Apex is perfect for what you are looking for. It's close enough to Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill to find a job and Cary the next town over, is a little more expensive but More
Start Your Review of Detroit
Reviews for Des Moines 2 Reviews
Hi. I'd like to know if you still feel the same way about living in Broomfield. I went there this past July to check it out (along with Lafayette, Boulder (can't More
Apex is perfect for what you are looking for. It's close enough to Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill to find a job and Cary the next town over, is a little more expensive but More
Start Your Review of Des Moines
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