Holy Cross, IA climate
Holy Cross has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 34 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Holy Cross feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Holy Cross 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 | 26° | 11° | 1.3" | 10.0" | 9 | 24 | 9° – 31° |
| February | 30° | 15° | 1.4" | 9.3" | 8 | 21 | 9° – 35° |
| March | 44° | 26° | 2.2" | 3.7" | 9 | 9 | 26° – 50° |
| April | 57° | 37° | 3.9" | 0.7" | 11 | 1 | 38° – 53° |
| May | 69° | 48° | 4.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 53° – 65° |
| June | 78° | 58° | 5.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| July | 81° | 62° | 5.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 65° – 78° |
| August | 79° | 60° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 65° – 76° |
| September | 73° | 52° | 3.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 56° – 68° |
| October | 60° | 40° | 3.0" | 0.3" | 9 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| November | 44° | 28° | 2.3" | 1.2" | 8 | 2 | 28° – 46° |
| December | 31° | 17° | 1.7" | 9.2" | 9 | 16 | 10° – 34° |
| Year | 56° | 38° | 39.0" | 34.4" | 112 | 72 |
“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 Holy Cross
Holy Cross gets 39 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 112 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 72 days of the year.
About 178 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 21 and the first one by October 18. That leaves about 178 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 50% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Holy Cross
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Holy Cross, 89% of that work is heating and 11% 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 Holy Cross 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 Holy Cross 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 Holy Cross’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 9° to 35°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Holy Cross’s climate
What is the coldest month in Holy Cross?
January, with a typical high of 26° and a low of 11°.
What is the hottest month in Holy Cross?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 62°. About 13 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Holy Cross get?
About 34 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Holy Cross?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 18, and the last spring frost by April 21.
What is the rainiest month in Holy Cross?
June, with 5.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 39 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Holy Cross itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Guttenberg L&d 10, IA (14 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.