Battle Creek, IA climate
Battle Creek has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 10°, and about 31 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Battle Creek feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Battle Creek weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 10° | 0.7" | 6.7" | 5 | 18 | 10° – 33° |
| February | 33° | 14° | 0.9" | 8.6" | 5 | 14 | 13° – 34° |
| March | 46° | 26° | 1.8" | 4.4" | 7 | 6 | 28° – 51° |
| April | 60° | 36° | 3.3" | 1.3" | 9 | 0 | 39° – 55° |
| May | 71° | 48° | 4.4" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| June | 81° | 59° | 4.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 75° |
| July | 84° | 62° | 3.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 67° – 79° |
| August | 82° | 60° | 4.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| September | 76° | 51° | 3.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 57° – 69° |
| October | 62° | 39° | 2.3" | 0.6" | 7 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 46° | 26° | 1.4" | 2.3" | 5 | 2 | 26° – 48° |
| December | 33° | 15° | 1.0" | 7.1" | 5 | 10 | 9° – 30° |
| Year | 59° | 37° | 31.4" | 31.1" | 86 | 51 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Battle Creek
Battle Creek gets 31 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 86 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 51 days of the year.
About 153 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 1 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 153 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 78% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Battle Creek
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Battle Creek, 91% of that work is heating and 9% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Battle Creek compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Battle Creek averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.3°). The shift is smaller than in 84% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Battle Creek’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 10° to 33°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Battle Creek’s climate
What is the coldest month in Battle Creek?
January, with a typical high of 28° and a low of 10°.
What is the hottest month in Battle Creek?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 62°. About 19 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Battle Creek get?
About 31 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Battle Creek?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 1.
What is the rainiest month in Battle Creek?
June, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 31 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Battle Creek itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Mapleton No.2, IA (14 mi, snow) and Battle Creek 3ne, IA (4 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.