Calumet has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 35 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Calumet at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Calumet’s climate
Read from where Calumet sits among Iowa’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
35 inches of snow, 31 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 77 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 163 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 29 and the first by October 10.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
What a year in Calumet feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Living with Calumet’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
163 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 29 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 10.
About 35" a winter over 12 days with an inch or more, most in January.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 89% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 13 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 83°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Calumet averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°).
A smaller shift than in 85% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Calumet compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Iowa.
Calumet 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26° | 8° | 0.7" | 8.4" | 4 | 6° – 31° |
| February | 30° | 12° | 0.9" | 6.7" | 4 | 11° – 33° |
| March | 44° | 24° | 1.7" | 6.2" | 5 | 26° – 50° |
| April | 58° | 35° | 3.4" | 2.4" | 8 | 36° – 54° |
| May | 70° | 47° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 53° – 65° |
| June | 80° | 58° | 4.8" | 0 | 10 | 65° – 74° |
| July | 83° | 62° | 3.5" | 0 | 7 | 66° – 79° |
| August | 81° | 59° | 3.8" | 0 | 7 | 65° – 75° |
| September | 74° | 51° | 3.2" | 0 | 7 | 56° – 67° |
| October | 61° | 38° | 2.3" | 0.4" | 6 | 42° – 54° |
| November | 44° | 25° | 1.4" | 2.5" | 5 | 25° – 46° |
| December | 30° | 14° | 1.0" | 8.2" | 4 | 7° – 29° |
| Year | 57° | 36° | 31.1" | 34.8" | 77 |
Heating and cooling a home in Calumet
89% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 6° to 31°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Calumet’s climate
What is the coldest month in Calumet?
January, with a typical high of 26° and a low of 8°.
What is the hottest month in Calumet?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 62°. About 13 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Calumet get?
About 35 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Calumet?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 10, and the last spring frost by April 29.
What is the rainiest month in Calumet?
June, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 31 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Calumet.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Calumet itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Primghar, IA (10 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.