2024 Compare Climate & Weather:
Grand Rapids, MI vs Des Moines, IA
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Highlights
On average, there are 204 sunny days per year in Des Moines. Grand Rapids averages 158 sunny days per year. The US average is 205 sunny days.
Des Moines, Iowa gets 35.9 inches of rain, on average, per year. Grand Rapids, Michigan gets 37.3 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. Grand Rapids averages 64.2 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
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Summer High: the July high is around 82.2 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 17.6
Rain: averages 37.3 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 64.2 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.
Grand RapidsThe annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Grand Rapids is 6.7 (10=best), which means it is more comfortable than most places in Michigan.
6.7 / 10
August, July and June are the most pleasant months in Grand Rapids, while January and December are the least comfortable months.
Today's Weather - Grand Rapids, MI
8 AM PST
Partly Sunny
79°F
| DAY | DESCRIPTION | HIGH / LOW | WIND |
|---|
| Today | Partly Sunny | 89° / 69° | S 9 mph |
| Wednesday | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms | 77° / 58° | SW 6 to 12 mph |
| Thursday | Sunny | 73° / 54° | W 6 to 15 mph |
| Friday | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 69° / 53° | WNW 7 to 14 mph |
| Saturday | Slight Chance Rain Showers | 73° / 54° | WNW 5 to 12 mph |
| Sunday | Mostly Sunny | 73° / 55° | WNW 5 to 12 mph |
| Monday | Mostly Sunny | 77° / 54° | WNW 3 to 9 mph |
Today's Weather - Des Moines, IA
8 AM PST
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
77°F
| DAY | DESCRIPTION | HIGH / LOW | WIND |
|---|
| Today | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 85° / 58° | S 7 to 10 mph |
| Wednesday | Sunny | 84° / 58° | W 6 to 14 mph |
| Thursday | Sunny | 78° / 57° | WNW 8 to 16 mph |
| Friday | Sunny | 81° / 59° | NW 7 to 12 mph |
| Saturday | Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny | 84° / 61° | WNW 6 to 9 mph |
| Sunday | Sunny | 82° / 60° | NNW 6 to 9 mph |
| Monday | Mostly Sunny | 82° / 59° | NNE 6 to 9 mph |
Average Monthly High / Low (°F)
| Month | Grand Rapids, MI | Des Moines, IA |
|---|
| January | 31° / 18° | 31° / 13° |
| February | 34° / 19° | 36° / 17° |
| March | 44° / 26° | 49° / 28° |
| April | 58° / 37° | 62° / 39° |
| May | 69° / 47° | 72° / 51° |
| June | 79° / 57° | 81° / 61° |
| July | 82° / 61° | 86° / 65° |
| August | 80° / 60° | 84° / 63° |
| September | 73° / 52° | 76° / 53° |
| October | 61° / 41° | 63° / 41° |
| November | 47° / 32° | 48° / 29° |
| December | 35° / 23° | 34° / 17° |
Hot, Freezing, Rainy, Snowy Days: Grand Rapids / Des Moines
| Month | Hot Days | Freezing Days | Rainy Days | Snowy Days |
|---|
| January | 0 / 0 | 28 / 30 | 13 / 7 | 11 / 6 |
| February | 0 / 0 | 25 / 25 | 10 / 7 | 8 / 5 |
| March | 0 / 0 | 23 / 21 | 10 / 9 | 5 / 3 |
| April | 0 / 0 | 10 / 7 | 12 / 11 | 1 / 1 |
| May | 0 / 0 | 1 / 0 | 10 / 12 | 0 / 0 |
| June | 2 / 3 | 0 / 0 | 9 / 11 | 0 / 0 |
| July | 3 / 8 | 0 / 0 | 9 / 10 | 0 / 0 |
| August | 2 / 6 | 0 / 0 | 9 / 9 | 0 / 0 |
| September | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 10 / 8 | 0 / 0 |
| October | 0 / 0 | 5 / 5 | 11 / 9 | 0 / 0 |
| November | 0 / 0 | 15 / 18 | 12 / 8 | 3 / 2 |
| December | 0 / 0 | 26 / 29 | 14 / 8 | 10 / 5 |
July is the hottest month for Grand Rapids with an average high temperature of 82.2°, which ranks it as warmer than most places in Michigan. In Grand Rapids, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Grand Rapids are June, August and July.
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 Grand Rapids with an average of 17.6°. This is warmer than most 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 Grand Rapids, there are 6.8 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most 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 Grand Rapids, there are 133.3 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is warmer than most 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 Grand Rapids, there are 4.6 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is warmer than most 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.
September is the wettest month in Grand Rapids with 4.1 inches of rain, and the driest month is February with 1.9 inches. The wettest season is Winter with 29% of yearly precipitation and 18% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 37.3 inches in Grand Rapids means that it is one of the wettest 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 Grand Rapids with 13.5 days of rain, and July is the driest month with only 9.0 rainy days. There are 129.1 rainy days annually in Grand Rapids, which is about average compared to other places in Michigan. The rainiest season is Spring when it rains 29% of the time and the driest is Autumn with only a 21% 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 64.2 inches in Grand Rapids means that it is snowier than most 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 Grand Rapids with 18.6 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 Grand Rapids 
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 Grand Rapids
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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