FrostList

Car Battery Cold-Start in Iowa

In Iowa, local car battery deadlines run from Oct 18 to Nov 1, with a median around Oct 28 — a spread of weeks that a single statewide date would miss. Find your city below; each links to local freeze odds, a live 10-day outlook, and a checklist.

Notable cities

All Iowa cities

CityLocal deadlineMedian first 28°F
Sioux CityOct 18Oct 18View →Checklist
AmesOct 19Oct 19View →Checklist
WaterlooOct 20Oct 20View →Checklist
Cedar FallsOct 20Oct 20View →Checklist
Cedar RapidsOct 22Oct 22View →Checklist
AnkenyOct 25Oct 25View →Checklist
Iowa CityOct 28Oct 28View →Checklist
Des MoinesOct 30Oct 30View →Checklist
Council BluffsOct 30Oct 30View →Checklist
West Des MoinesOct 30Oct 30View →Checklist
UrbandaleOct 30Oct 30View →Checklist
DavenportOct 31Oct 31View →Checklist
DubuqueNov 1Nov 1View →Checklist

Back to the national Car Battery Cold-Start guide, or see the methodology.

Data: NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals; live outlook by Open-Meteo. Last updated: July 11, 2026.