621 FXUS63 KDMX 100348 AFDDMXArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 1048 PM CDT Tue Sep 9 2025
...Updated for the 06z Aviation Discussion...
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Scattered showers and isolated non-severe storms mainly north into this evening.
- Warning up this week into the 80s mid-week and potentially some 90s Friday and into saturday.
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 253 PM CDT Tue Sep 9 2025
Short wave moving across southern Minnesota has been evident as circulation on both radar and satellite. Convection has been most prevalent to the east of the short wave where the greatest forcing resides but some weak convection continues to percolate over parts of north central Iowa. This scattered convection will remain possible over northern Iowa into early this evening and there is a chance some lingering kinematic forced showers and isolated storms occur over the far northeast overnight. The other forecast challenge overnight is fog potential. Higher dew points in the upper 50s to lower 60s along with a wetting rainfall over the north and light winds may lead to some fog development. The amount of cloud cover overnight is a bit uncertain as there is a mix of clear patches and patches of stratocumulus this afternoon. The stratocumulus should thin with the loss of diurnal heating but it will be a slower process than general cumulus. Cumulus should reform early Wednesday morning as the low level moisture lifts and forms cumulus.
Currently have Wednesday dry as a modest elevated mixed layer (EML) forms and should prevent convective development but will continue to monitor the status of the EML. Should the EML remain weak enough for surface based instability, the overall forcing is quite low but it would still lead to an isolated shower/storm chance.
The remainder of the forecast has the upper level ridge moving more eastward and eventually over Iowa for the end of the week and into Saturday. Have continued the trend of using the NBM 50th percentile compared to the straight up NBM which is over the 90th percentile. Note the NBM has not verified well all year when sitting above the 90th percentile. This appears to be another case for that trend. The 850 mb temperatures in the upper teens to low 20s C and dew points in the upper 50s to low 60s do not correlate to highs in the low to mid 90s. The GFS is way over mixed this time period while indicating mostly cloudy skies, which is another red flag. The upper ridge will move slightly east late this weekend as a negatively titled trough extends into the state, bringing increasing precipitation chances.
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.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 1048 PM CDT Tue Sep 9 2025
A few spotty showers have swung down over northern Iowa grazing MCW. Given spotty nature and uncertainty of impact on a given terminal, will not include at ALO, but will monitor for possible AMD. Otherwise, main concern is fog, which is already developing over western Minnesota and northwest Iowa. This fog is expected to impact MCW and FOD with MVFR and IFR restrictions before lifting by 14z. Have pulled MVFR ceilings at MCW in favor of SCT sub-IFR ceilings given latest guidance. Cumulus clouds are forecast to develop over northern Iowa with coverage of FEW/SCT, though bases could be below FL030 initially until they lift later in the afternoon.
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.DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None.
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DISCUSSION...Donavon AVIATION...Ansorge
NWS DMX Office Area Forecast Discussion