Maxwell, IA climate
Maxwell has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 27 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Maxwell feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Maxwell 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 | 29° | 12° | 0.9" | 6.6" | 7 | 20 | 11° – 33° |
| February | 34° | 16° | 1.1" | 7.8" | 7 | 16 | 14° – 36° |
| March | 47° | 28° | 2.0" | 3.8" | 9 | 6 | 30° – 52° |
| April | 61° | 38° | 3.8" | 0.7" | 11 | 0 | 41° – 56° |
| May | 72° | 50° | 5.1" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 55° – 68° |
| June | 81° | 60° | 5.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 68° – 74° |
| July | 84° | 64° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 69° – 80° |
| August | 82° | 61° | 4.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 77° |
| September | 76° | 53° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 58° – 69° |
| October | 63° | 41° | 2.7" | 0.4" | 9 | 0 | 45° – 57° |
| November | 47° | 29° | 1.8" | 1.5" | 7 | 2 | 29° – 49° |
| December | 34° | 17° | 1.3" | 6.5" | 8 | 12 | 10° – 34° |
| Year | 59° | 39° | 36.4" | 27.3" | 109 | 56 |
“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 Maxwell
Maxwell gets 36 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 109 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 56 days of the year.
About 168 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first one by October 12. That leaves about 168 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 63% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Maxwell
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Maxwell, 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 Maxwell 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 Maxwell averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.3°). The shift is smaller than in 85% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Maxwell’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 10° to 34°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Maxwell’s climate
What is the coldest month in Maxwell?
January, with a typical high of 29° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in Maxwell?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 64°. About 15 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Maxwell get?
About 27 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Maxwell?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 12, and the last spring frost by April 26.
What is the rainiest month in Maxwell?
June, with 5.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 36 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Maxwell itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ames 5 Se, IA (10 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.