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Climate in Kirkville · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Kirkville has cold winters and warm summers

A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 24 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

A year in Kirkville at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan31°14° 7" snow
Feb36°18° 6" snow
Mar50°29° 3" snow
Apr62°40° Last frost ~23
May72°51° Nice out
Jun81°61° Nice out4 days 90°+
Jul85°65° 8 days 90°+
Aug83°62° Nice out5 days 90°+
Sep77°54° Nice out2 days 90°+
Oct now64°42° Nice outFirst frost ~14
Nov49°30°
Dec37°20° 4" snow

What stands out about Kirkville’s climate

Read from where Kirkville sits among Iowa’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.

★ What stands out · Rain & snow

24 inches of snow, 37 of rain and melt

June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 109 days a year.

37"
Rain + melted snow a year
426th wettest of 1,026 Iowa towns
Less than 61% of U.S. towns
24"
Snow in a normal winter
92nd least snowy of 1,020 Iowa towns
Less than 52% of U.S. towns
38 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
53rd least snowy of 828 Iowa towns
More than 58% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

5.1"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

7.1"
JFMAMJJASOND
A normal year

What a year in Kirkville feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
35° / 17°
8 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
61° / 40°
Last frost around Apr 23
Summer
83° / 62°
19 days reach 90°
Fall
63° / 42°
First frost around Oct 14
Best months to be outsideMayJunAugSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost & heat

About 172 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first by October 14.

131
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
11
nights below 0° in a normal year
19
days that reach 90° in a normal year

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

29
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

7.8
JFMAMJJASOND
Living here

Living with Kirkville’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.

The garden window

172 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 14.

Snow season

About 24" a winter over 8 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 38 days a year.

Furnace season

Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 86% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.

Summer heat

About 19 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 85°.

Get outside

The nicest months are May, June, August, September and October.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.

Natural hazards →
Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Kirkville averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.3°).

+0.7°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 91% of U.S. towns.

❄️ Winter+1.8°now 26°, was 24°
🌷 Spring+0.9°now 51°, was 50°
☀️ Summer−0.3°now 73°, was 73°
🍂 Fall+0.2°now 53°, was 52°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Compared with other towns

How Kirkville compares

Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Iowa.

Summer heat85° July high
Hotter than 53% of U.S. towns199th hottest of 1,026 Iowa towns
Winter cold14° January low
Colder than 73% of U.S. towns118th mildest of 1,026 Iowa towns
Precipitation37" a year
Drier than 61% of U.S. towns426th wettest of 1,026 Iowa towns
Snow24" a winter
Less snow than 52% of U.S. towns92nd least snowy of 1,020 Iowa towns
Growing season172 frost-free days
Shorter than 58% of U.S. towns225th longest of 1,026 Iowa towns
Month by month

Kirkville weather by month

Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January31°14°1.2" 7.1"71815° – 35°
February36°18°1.5" 5.8"7916° – 38°
March50°29°2.2" 3.0"10432° – 54°
April62°40°3.8" 1.4"12143° – 57°
May72°51°4.9" 013056° – 70°
June81°61°5.1" 011068° – 75°
July85°65°4.1" 09069° – 82°
August83°62°4.3" 09067° – 78°
September77°54°3.5" 08059° – 71°
October64°42°2.9" 0.5"9047° – 58°
November49°30°2.1" 1.6"8231° – 50°
December37°20°1.5" 4.2"7513° – 38°
Year61°40°36.8"23.6"10938
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Kirkville

86% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.

86%heating
6,145 heating degree daysMore heating than 59% of U.S. towns
985 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 59% of U.S. towns

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.

Year to year

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 38°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal

Common questions about Kirkville’s climate

What is the coldest month in Kirkville?

January, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 14°.

What is the hottest month in Kirkville?

July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 65°. About 19 days a year reach 90°.

How much snow does Kirkville get?

About 24 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.

When is the first frost in Kirkville?

In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 14, and the last spring frost by April 23.

What is the rainiest month in Kirkville?

June, with 5.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 37 inches.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Kirkville.

Town Square →
Weigh in
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Ask your neighbors

Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Kirkville itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ottumwa Industrial Airport, 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.

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