Ames, IA Weather & Growing Conditions
Local forecast, frost dates, hardiness zone and planting guidance for Ames, a city in Story County, Iowa.
This Afternoon
85°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy. High near 85, with temperatures falling to around 78 in the afternoon. North northwest wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
7-day forecast for Ames
| When | Temp | Forecast | Wind | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This Afternoon | 85°F | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 8 mph NNW | 22% |
| Tonight | 61°F | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 6 to 10 mph N | 40% |
| Sunday | 65°F | Chance Drizzle | 12 mph NE | 35% |
| Sunday Night | 56°F | Chance Drizzle then Rain Showers Likely | 12 mph ENE | 58% |
| Monday | 59°F | Rain Showers | 10 mph NE | 84% |
| Monday Night | 52°F | Rain Showers | 6 to 9 mph NE | 77% |
| Tuesday | 61°F | Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy | 7 mph NE | 17% |
| Tuesday Night | 47°F | Partly Cloudy | 2 to 6 mph ENE | 3% |
| Wednesday | 65°F | Mostly Sunny | 5 mph E | 0% |
| Wednesday Night | 52°F | Mostly Cloudy | 3 mph ESE | 9% |
| Thursday | 67°F | Slight Chance Rain Showers | 1 to 5 mph SE | 24% |
| Thursday Night | 57°F | Slight Chance Rain Showers | 3 mph ESE | 21% |
| Friday | 69°F | Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy | 1 to 6 mph ESE | 20% |
| Friday Night | 59°F | Mostly Cloudy | 3 mph ESE | 10% |
Forecast source: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov) for Ames (42.026, -93.621). Updated through the day.
Growing snapshot for Ames
Last spring frost
Apr 26
First fall frost
Oct 8
Growing season
164 days
Hardiness zone
5b
More local growing data for Ames: nearby ZIP 50012 weather · frost dates · planting calendar · Iowa frost dates
Nearby towns & communities
Climate data from the nearest NOAA station, Ames Muni Ap, Ia (3 mi from Ames). Frost dates are 1991–2020 averages, not a forecast. Page updated Sep 20, 2026.