Iowa Current Conditions: 77°F and a 73°F Dew Point at Des Moines

What changed

The latest observation from KDSM logged a temperature of 77°F and a dew point of 73.4°F at 12:15 UTC (7:15 a.m. CDT). Wind was running about 11.5 mph, and barometric pressure was 29.76 inches of mercury. The standout number is that dew point: readings above 70°F are considered oppressively humid, and 73°F puts this observation well into that range.

Why it matters

When the dew point is this close to the air temperature, nighttime cooling slows down. Corn in particular relies on cooler nights to recover from daytime heat — a process that burns less energy when temperatures drop. A sustained stretch of high dew points during pollination season could affect how efficiently plants use moisture and energy. Soybeans are more tolerant but still feel the drag of heavy humidity, especially if fungal-disease pressure builds in a wet canopy. The light wind at about 11.5 mph may help move some air through the canopy, but it won't offset the moisture load by much.

What to watch next

• Overnight lows vs. dew point. If nighttime temps stay near or above the dew point for several days, crop stress could build. Check your local forecast for low-temperature trends.
• Pollination timing. Corn fields approaching tassel may matter most — high humidity during pollen shed can slow pollination efficiency.
• Disease pressure. Prolonged leaf wetness in humid air is worth monitoring, especially in thick-canopy soybean fields.

Source notes

All observations from the U.S. National Weather Service API, station KDSM (Des Moines, Iowa), recorded at 2026-06-29T12:15:00 UTC.

• Temperature: 77°F
• Dew point: 73.4°F
• Wind speed: ~11.5 mph
• Barometric pressure: 29.76 inHg