Clarion, IA climate
Clarion has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 31 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Clarion feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Clarion 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 | 25° | 8° | 0.9" | 8.9" | 5 | 7° – 28° |
| February | 30° | 13° | 1.1" | 6.2" | 5 | 10° – 33° |
| March | 44° | 24° | 1.9" | 5.7" | 6 | 26° – 49° |
| April | 59° | 36° | 3.8" | 1.4" | 9 | 37° – 55° |
| May | 70° | 47° | 5.0" | 0 | 12 | 52° – 65° |
| June | 80° | 58° | 5.5" | 0 | 11 | 66° – 73° |
| July | 83° | 61° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 67° – 78° |
| August | 80° | 59° | 4.3" | 0 | 8 | 65° – 74° |
| September | 75° | 51° | 3.1" | 0 | 7 | 57° – 67° |
| October | 61° | 38° | 2.5" | 0.1" | 7 | 44° – 54° |
| November | 44° | 26° | 1.6" | 2.9" | 6 | 25° – 47° |
| December | 31° | 15° | 1.3" | 5.9" | 5 | 7° – 31° |
| Year | 57° | 36° | 35.0" | 31.1" | 88 |
“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 Clarion
Clarion gets 35 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 88 days a year.
About 162 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first one by October 10. That leaves about 162 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 69% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Clarion
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Clarion, 90% of that work is heating and 10% 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 Clarion 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 Clarion averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.4°). The shift is smaller than in 91% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Clarion’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 7° to 31°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Clarion’s climate
What is the coldest month in Clarion?
January, with a typical high of 25° and a low of 8°.
What is the hottest month in Clarion?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 61°. About 16 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Clarion get?
About 31 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Clarion?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 10, and the last spring frost by April 30.
What is the rainiest month in Clarion?
June, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 35 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Clarion itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Clarion, IA (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.