Independence, IA climate
Independence has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 34 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Independence feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Independence 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° | 9° | 1.1" | 10.0" | 8 | 21 | 8° – 30° |
| February | 31° | 13° | 1.2" | 7.3" | 7 | 16 | 8° – 35° |
| March | 45° | 25° | 2.0" | 3.8" | 8 | 7 | 26° – 51° |
| April | 59° | 36° | 3.7" | 1.8" | 10 | 1 | 37° – 54° |
| May | 71° | 48° | 4.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| June | 80° | 58° | 5.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 66° – 73° |
| July | 83° | 62° | 4.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 67° – 79° |
| August | 81° | 59° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 65° – 76° |
| September | 75° | 51° | 3.6" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 56° – 68° |
| October | 62° | 38° | 2.8" | 0.4" | 9 | 0 | 45° – 56° |
| November | 45° | 27° | 2.0" | 3.0" | 8 | 3 | 28° – 47° |
| December | 32° | 15° | 1.6" | 7.6" | 8 | 14 | 9° – 34° |
| Year | 57° | 37° | 37.1" | 33.9" | 105 | 62 |
“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 Independence
Independence gets 37 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 105 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 62 days of the year.
About 159 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first one by October 7. That leaves about 159 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 72% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Independence
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Independence, 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 Independence 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 Independence averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°). The shift is smaller than in 77% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Independence’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 8° to 35°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Independence’s climate
What is the coldest month in Independence?
January, with a typical high of 26° and a low of 9°.
What is the hottest month in Independence?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 62°. About 12 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Independence get?
About 34 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Independence?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 7, and the last spring frost by April 30.
What is the rainiest month in Independence?
June, with 5.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 37 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Independence itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Independence #1, IA (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.