Record-breaking: Des Moines has a new wettest day in May history
Monday's rainfall topped any other May date since records began.
FRANCIS IN 2015. WELL, IT IS 619. YOU’RE GOING TO NEED THAT UMBRELLA FOR AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT TODAY. NOT NEARLY AS MUCH AS YESTERDAY, THOUGH. WE’VE BEEN SOAKED. WE HAVE BEEN. I’M JUST GLAD WE’RE NOT STRINGING DAYS LIKE YESTERDAY TOGETHER, BECAUSE THAT’S WHEN YOU’RE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT SERIOUS ISSUES. YEAH, BUT STILL ONE FOR THE BOOKS. LET’S TALK ABOUT IT. I’VE BEEN TALKING WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THIS MORNING. 3.74IN. THAT’S THE OFFICIAL NUMBER FOR YESTERDAY’S RAIN. MAY 19TH, 2025. AND NOT ONLY IS IT A DAILY RECORD FOR THE 19TH OF MAY, BUT THIS IS THE HIGHEST DAILY RAIN FOR THE MONTH OF MAY ON RECORD THAT WE HAVE SEEN AS FAR AS THE OVERALL DAILY RAINFALL. SO A VERY IMPRESSIVE NUMBER, DEFINITELY ONE FOR THE BOOKS AND GLAD TO SAY TODAY IS NOTHING LIKE WHAT WE HAD YESTERDAY. STILL SOME LINGERING SHOWERS. HOWEVER, ACROSS THE METRO, MAINLY EAST OF I-35, EAST OF 235. WE’RE SEEING A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT FARTHER NORTH. STARTING TO DRY OUT A LITTLE BIT, EVEN OVER PARTS OF STORY COUNTY LIKE AMES, NEVADA. STILL SOME LIGHT SPRINKLES. SAME STORY FOR MAXWELL, BUT ZOOMING OUT EVEN MORE, YOU’RE REALLY SEEING THAT HEAVIER RAIN STILL OVER PARTS OF MARSHALLTOWN GOING TO ELDORA TO JUUL, EAGLE GROVE UP TO THE NORTHWEST, EVEN STILL HOLDING ON TO THAT OVER ALGONA. BUT AS FAR AS FORT DODGE, STARTING TO WRAP THAT UP, WE’VE ALREADY SEEN CLOSE AROUND INCH AND A HALF THAT DIRECTION AS OF THIS MORNING. SO STILL A LOT OF RAIN, A LITTLE AMOUNT OF TIME. A LOT OF PLACES NEED IT. SOME SPOTS JUST TOO MUCH ALL AT ONCE. BUT EITHER WAY, IT IS STARTING TO WRAP UP AREAS WHERE WE’RE SEEING THOSE SHOWERS. STILL SOME GUSTY WINDS AROUND 30 UP TO 40MPH, SO STILL GOING TO BE PRETTY GUSTY WITH THOSE SHOWERS, BUT MID TO LOW 50S AND UPPER 40. SO IT’S A COOL MORNING FOR SURE WITH THOSE WINDS ADDS TO IT. BUT AS WE GO THROUGH THE REST OF TODAY, NOTICE THE BULK OF THE RAIN PUSHING TO THE NORTH. HOWEVER, STILL HOLDING ON TO THOSE SHOWERS, ESPECIALLY NORTH CENTRAL IOWA, A LITTLE MORE ISOLATED SOUTH OF THERE. BUT THE RAIN CHANCE STILL HOLDS ON AS WE GO THROUGH THE LATE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON, EVEN INTO THE EVENING. CAN’T RULE OUT SOME PRETTY LIGHT RAIN. LIGHT SPRINKLES UNDERNEATH THE CLOUDS. AND THEN WE STICK WITH THE CLOUDS AS WE GO. THROUGHOUT WEDNESDAY. CAN EVEN SEE A FEW SPRINKLES FALL FROM THOSE AS WELL. BUT AGAIN, NOTHING REALLY GOING TO BE ADDING TO THE TOTALS AS WE GO THROUGHOUT WEDNESDAY. THEN WE DRY OUT FOR THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK. STILL GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SOME RAIN CHANCES FOR THIS UPCOMING HOLIDAY WEEKEND. LOW 60S TO 50S ACROSS THE STATE. A LITTLE WARMER TO THE SOUTHEAST, BUT THEN TONIGHT WE ALL EVEN OUT MID 40S. WHAT WE EXPECT EVEN NEAR 50 DEGREES NEAR OTTUMWA, A LITTLE BIT WARMER EAST OF I-35, CLOSE TO THE EASTERN BORDER IS GOING TO BE KIND OF THE THEME FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. BUT EITHER WAY, WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, WELL BELOW OUR AVERAGE AS THE COLDEST AFTERNOON ON THE EIGHT DAY. AND THEN WE WORK FROM THERE UPPER 60S TO MID 60S FOR FRIDAY, STILL DRYING OUT. HOWEVER, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THIS THREE DAY WEEKEND WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME
Record-breaking: Des Moines has a new wettest day in May history
Monday's rainfall topped any other May date since records began.
Updated: 4:47 PM CDT May 20, 2025
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This week's heavy rainfall has been record-breaking in the Des Moines area.Monday's showers and storms dropped 3.84 inches* of rain at the Des Moines International Airport. That amount didn't just break the record for May 19 in Des Moines — it was the most rain recorded on any calendar day in May history. Prior to yesterday, May 27, 1915, held the record for most rainfall in a calendar day in May.*An earlier version of this storied reported 3.74 inches. The National Weather Service has since updated that amount.Highest one-day May rainfallMay 19, 2025 — 3.84 inchesMay 27, 1915 — 3.48 inchesMay 9, 1996 — 3.23 inchesMay 11, 1923 — 2.98 inchesMay 10, 1912 — 2.83 inchesRecords in Des Moines date back to the 1870s.WATCH: Timelapse shows storms pass through downtown Des MoinesPrior to this week, just 0.30 inches of rain had fallen in the metro area this May. Now we're back above normal. This is one example of a broader trend in Iowa's weather. More of our rain is falling in large doses rather than being spread out across the calendar.This is a side effect of our atmosphere heating up. Warmer air can hold more water, so the same thunderstorms we've always had can produce much more rain now. » Subscribe to vlog's YouTube page» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
DES MOINES, Iowa — This week's heavy rainfall has been record-breaking in the Des Moines area.
Monday's showers and storms dropped 3.84 inches* of rain at the Des Moines International Airport.
That amount didn't just break the record for May 19 in Des Moines — it was the most rain recorded on any calendar day in May history.
Prior to yesterday, May 27, 1915, held the record for most rainfall in a calendar day in May.
*An earlier version of this storied reported 3.74 inches. The National Weather Service has since updated that amount.
Highest one-day May rainfall
- May 19, 2025 — 3.84 inches
- May 27, 1915 — 3.48 inches
- May 9, 1996 — 3.23 inches
- May 11, 1923 — 2.98 inches
- May 10, 1912 — 2.83 inches
Records in Des Moines date back to the 1870s.
WATCH: Timelapse shows storms pass through downtown Des Moines
Prior to this week, just 0.30 inches of rain had fallen in the metro area this May. Now we're back above normal.
This is one example of a broader trend in Iowa's weather.
More of our rain is falling in large doses rather than being spread out across the calendar.
Hearst Owned
Heavy rain events have become more common in central Iowa in recent decades.
This is a side effect of our atmosphere heating up. Warmer air can hold more water, so the same thunderstorms we've always had can produce much more rain now.
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