Grand River has cold winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 27 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Grand River at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Grand River’s climate
Read from where Grand River sits among Iowa’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
About 176 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first by October 17.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Grand River’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
176 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 23 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 17.
About 27" a winter over 10 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 52 days a year.
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 85°.
The nicest months are May, June, August, September and October.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →What a year in Grand River feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
27 inches of snow, 38 of rain and melt
May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 97 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Grand River averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.4°).
A smaller shift than in 87% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Grand River compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Iowa.
Grand River 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 | 32° | 14° | 1.0" | 7.2" | 5 | 18 | 16° – 35° |
| February | 37° | 18° | 1.3" | 6.2" | 6 | 15 | 18° – 39° |
| March | 50° | 29° | 2.2" | 3.5" | 7 | 6 | 32° – 54° |
| April | 62° | 39° | 4.0" | 1.3" | 10 | 1 | 43° – 57° |
| May | 72° | 50° | 5.4" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 55° – 70° |
| June | 81° | 60° | 5.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| July | 85° | 64° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 82° |
| August | 84° | 62° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 77° |
| September | 77° | 53° | 3.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 58° – 71° |
| October | 64° | 41° | 2.8" | 0.5" | 8 | 0 | 46° – 58° |
| November | 49° | 30° | 2.1" | 1.8" | 6 | 2 | 30° – 50° |
| December | 37° | 19° | 1.5" | 6.0" | 6 | 10 | 13° – 35° |
| Year | 61° | 40° | 37.6" | 26.5" | 97 | 52 |
Heating and cooling a home in Grand River
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. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 13° to 35°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Grand River’s climate
What is the coldest month in Grand River?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Grand River?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 64°. About 13 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Grand River get?
About 27 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Grand River?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 17, and the last spring frost by April 23.
What is the rainiest month in Grand River?
May, with 5.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Grand River.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Grand River itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Beaconsfield, IA (4 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.