Des Moines - Extreme Daily Snowfall for Each Year
Here's a list of yearly records for the heaviest snowfalls and snowiest days in Des Moines, Iowa. The information easily answers questions such as: How much snow fell in a day during the biggest snowstorm of 2019? When was the last time Des Moines got blanketed in a foot of new snow on a single day?
This page gives the highest daily snowfall of each year in Des Moines and the date it occurred. If a date has a plus sign beside it that means the same amount of snow also fell on at least one other day earlier in the year.
These snowfall extremes were measured at Des Moines International Airport and go back to 1946. Since then, the most amount of snow to land in one day at Des Moines is 13.7 inches (34.8 centimetres) on January 26, 1996.
| Inches | Date | Centimetres |
|---|---|---|
| 6.4 | March 11, 2023 | 16.3 |
| 9.8 | January 14, 2022 | 24.9 |
| 10.3 | January 25, 2021 | 26.2 |
| 9.6 | December 29, 2020 | 24.4 |
| 5.4 | February 17, 2019 | 13.7 |
| 5.4 | February 05, 2018 | 13.7 |
| 2.6 | February 08, 2017 | 6.6 |
| 2.5 | February 02, 2016 | 6.4 |
| 6.7 | November 20, 2015 | 17.0 |
| 4.7 | February 04, 2014 | 11.9 |
| 6.1 | January 30, 2013 | 15.5 |
| 6.8 | December 20, 2012 | 17.3 |
| 6.4 | February 01, 2011 | 16.3 |
| 6.4 | January 25, 2010 | 16.3 |
| Inches | Date | Centimetres |
|---|---|---|
| 10.6 | December 08, 2009 | 26.9 |
| 5.7 | February 17, 2008 | 14.5 |
| 4.8 | November 21, 2007 | 12.2 |
| 4.3 | March 21, 2006 | 10.9 |
| 8.0 | January 05, 2005 | 20.3 |
| 12.0 | March 15, 2004 | 30.5 |
| 8.4 | February 15, 2003 | 21.3 |
| 4.8 | January 31, 2002 | 12.2 |
| 5.0 | March 16, 2001 + | 12.7 |
| 7.5 | December 11, 2000 | 19.1 |
| 12.0 | March 08, 1999 | 30.5 |
| 11.0 | March 08, 1998 | 27.9 |
| 6.8 | October 26, 1997 | 17.3 |
| 13.7 | January 26, 1996 | 34.8 |
| 6.0 | December 08, 1995 | 15.2 |
| 7.8 | February 22, 1994 | 19.8 |
| 5.0 | January 12, 1993 | 12.7 |
| 9.3 | November 25, 1992 | 23.6 |
| 5.2 | November 23, 1991 | 13.2 |
| 7.7 | December 03, 1990 | 19.6 |
| 5.5 | February 12, 1989 | 14.0 |
| 3.3 | February 10, 1988 | 8.4 |
| 6.2 | December 15, 1987 | 15.7 |
| 2.6 | February 05, 1986 | 6.6 |
| 5.7 | December 01, 1985 | 14.5 |
| 4.5 | January 01, 1984 | 11.4 |
| 8.2 | April 17, 1983 | 20.8 |
| 7.0 | January 02, 1982 | 17.8 |
| 5.6 | February 10, 1981 | 14.2 |
| 7.4 | October 27, 1980 | 18.8 |
| 5.9 | January 13, 1979 | 15.0 |
| 8.7 | February 13, 1978 | 22.1 |
| 7.7 | December 31, 1977 | 19.6 |
| 9.8 | February 21, 1976 | 24.9 |
| 5.9 | January 02, 1975 | 15.0 |
| 5.1 | February 21, 1974 | 13.0 |
| 10.3 | April 09, 1973 | 26.2 |
| 7.5 | November 13, 1972 | 19.1 |
| 13.6 | January 03, 1971 | 34.5 |
| 5.4 | March 19, 1970 | 13.7 |
| 3.8 | February 21, 1969 | 9.7 |
| 11.8 | November 10, 1968 | 30.0 |
| 2.4 | October 26, 1967 | 6.1 |
| 4.0 | December 28, 1966 | 10.2 |
| 7.5 | March 02, 1965 | 19.1 |
| 3.5 | January 08, 1964 | 8.9 |
| 4.6 | January 11, 1963 | 11.7 |
| 8.0 | March 08, 1962 | 20.3 |
| 10.0 | December 22, 1961 | 25.4 |
| 6.3 | February 09, 1960 | 16.0 |
| 7.8 | March 05, 1959 | 19.8 |
| 3.5 | January 25, 1958 | 8.9 |
| 7.3 | January 09, 1957 | 18.5 |
| 4.1 | February 01, 1956 | 10.4 |
| 5.1 | February 04, 1955 | 13.0 |
| 3.7 | March 29, 1954 | 9.4 |
| 4.8 | January 20, 1953 | 12.2 |
| 4.0 | December 22, 1952 | 10.2 |
| 5.1 | December 14, 1951 + | 13.0 |
| 6.7 | February 13, 1950 | 17.0 |
| 9.6 | January 27, 1949 | 24.4 |
| 7.2 | March 01, 1948 | 18.3 |
| 11.2 | January 29, 1947 | 28.4 |
| 3.2 | January 19, 1946 | 8.1 |
Reference
Jay Lawrimore. 2016. Global Summary of the Year, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.