KDSM — Des Moines Intl
Des Moines, IA · field elevation 958 ft · Class C airspace · ATCT-TRACON
2 AIRMETs & SIGMETs Read in the EFB →
KDSM current weather
VFR ceiling above 3,000 ft and visibility better than 5 statute miles
METAR KDSM 111154Z COR 17004KT 10SM FEW020 BKN150 OVC220 26/22 A2991 RMK AO2 PRESRR SLP119 OCNL LTGICCG DSNT NW-N CB DSNT NW-N MOV E T02610222 10267 20250 53019
- Wind
- from 170° at 4 kt
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Sky
- ceiling 15,000 ft AGL
- Temperature
- 26 °C / dewpoint 22 °C
- Altimeter
- 29.91 inHg
- Density altitude
- 2,514 ft · pressure altitude 968 ft
- Observed
- 24 minutes ago
Wind on each runway
Wind 170° at 4 kt. Positive is a headwind; the crosswind side is the one you hold into.
| Runway | Head / tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | 3 kt head | 2 kt from the right |
| 23 | 2 kt head | 4 kt from the left |
| 05 | 2 kt tail | 4 kt from the right |
| 31 | 3 kt tail | 2 kt from the left |
48-hour trend
Eight days of observations, each readable in full — in the EFB →
Calculators: density altitude, pressure altitude, cloud base, crosswind
Forecast
MOS guidance beside this TAF, both drawn along your route — in the EFB →
TAF KDSM 111140Z 1112/1212 36005KT P6SM SCT070 OVC120 PROB30 1112/1113 6SM -SHRA BKN070 FM111500 22006KT P6SM FEW090 SCT230 FM120000 06005KT P6SM FEW250
Learn: reading a TAF, the weather course
Airport information
- Coordinates
- 41.53397, -93.66307
- Elevation
- 958 ft MSL
- Surface airspace
-
Class C
Two-way radio communication must be established before you enter.
Established means they answered you by callsign. “Aircraft calling, stand by” is not established and you stay out; “Cessna 12345, stand by” is, and you may enter. Mode C is required within the lateral limits and above them to 10,000 ft MSL. VFR traffic gets sequencing and traffic advisories, not separation.
- Sunrise / sunset
- 1119Z / 0119Z
- Tower hours
- Continuous (24 hours)
- Magnetic variation
- 1° (2020)
- Fuel
- 100LL,A
- Sectional
- Omaha
- County
- Polk, IA
Airport diagram
Everything else KDSM publishes — in the EFB →
Runways
| Runway | Length (ft) | Width (ft) | Surface | Lights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/23 | 9,004 | 150 | CONC | HIGH |
| 13/31 | 9,001 | 150 | CONC | HIGH |
Frequencies
- ATIS
- 119.55
- Tower Continuous (24 hours)
- 118.3
- Ground
- 121.9
- Clearance
- 134.15
- UNICOM
- 122.95
- Approach
- 120.45
- Approach
- 123.9
- Approach
- 135.2
Published procedures
- 14 approaches — ILS, LD, LOC, RNAV (GPS), VOR
- 1 departure published
Read the approach plates georeferenced — in the EFB →
Nearby airports
- KIKV Ankeny Rgnl10 nm
- KAMW Ames Muni28 nm
- KPRO Perry Muni28 nm
- KOXV Knoxville Muni28 nm
- KTNU Newton Muni-Earl Johnson Fld30 nm
- KBNW Boone Muni32 nm
Elsewhere
- Make a poster of the KDSM airport diagram or an approach plate
- Other Iowa airports
- How to read a METAR
- What VFR, MVFR, IFR and LIFR actually mean
- Live records — the strongest winds and lowest ceilings in the country right now
Weather from METAR and TAF, National Weather Service Aviation Weather Center. Airport, runway, frequency and procedure data from the FAA NASR 28-day cycle; charts from the FAA d-TPP. Advisory only — this is not a weather briefing.