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 Live
VFR ceiling above 3,000 ft and visibility better than 5 statute miles
METAR KDSM 252354Z 11009KT 9SM BKN031 OVC046 17/17 A3019 RMK AO2 RAE19 SLP220 P0001 60003 T01720167 10178 20167 56006
- Wind
- from 110° at 9 kt
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Sky
- ceiling 3,100 ft AGL
- Temperature
- 17 °C / dewpoint 17 °C
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Density altitude
- 1,111 ft · pressure altitude 688 ft
- Observed
- 9 minutes ago
Learn: reading a METAR, the weather course
Wind on each runway
Wind 110° at 9 kt. Positive is a headwind.
| Runway | Head / tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | 8 kt head | 3 kt from the left |
| 05 | 5 kt head | 7 kt from the right |
| 23 | 5 kt tail | 7 kt from the left |
| 31 | 8 kt tail | 3 kt from the right |
Calculator: crosswind components
48-hour trend
Eight days of observations, each readable in full — in the EFB →
Calculators: density altitude, pressure altitude, cloud base, crosswind
Pilot reports
1 within 50 nm in the last six hours, 14,000–14,000 ft.
Read them where they were filed — in the EFB →
Forecast
MOS guidance beside this TAF, both drawn along your route — in the EFB →
TAF KDSM 252320Z 2600/2624 11006KT P6SM FEW008 OVC035 PROB30 2600/2602 6SM -SHRA OVC010 FM260200 12007KT P6SM BKN008 OVC020 PROB30 2605/2606 4SM -SHRA OVC005 FM260600 12007KT 5SM -SHRA OVC010 FM260700 12007KT 4SM SHRA BKN007 OVC015 FM261600 13010KT 4SM SHRA BKN010 OVC030 FM261700 14010KT P6SM BKN010 OVC030 PROB30 2617/2623 4SM SHRA OVC008
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
- 1206Z / 0005Z
- Tower hours
- Continuous (24 hours)
- Magnetic variation
- 1°E (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
- 11 approaches — ILS, 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.