Murray, IA climate
Murray has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 28 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade3° cooler than normal today. The forecast high is 67°, and a typical Oct 1 in Murray peaks around 70°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Murray feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Murray 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31° | 13° | 1.0" | 7.6" | 5 | 15° – 35° |
| February | 36° | 18° | 1.3" | 8.8" | 5 | 17° – 38° |
| March | 49° | 28° | 2.2" | 3.1" | 6 | 32° – 53° |
| April | 62° | 39° | 4.0" | 0.9" | 9 | 42° – 57° |
| May | 71° | 50° | 5.4" | 0 | 10 | 55° – 69° |
| June | 81° | 60° | 5.0" | 0 | 9 | 67° – 74° |
| July | 85° | 64° | 4.2" | 0 | 8 | 69° – 81° |
| August | 83° | 62° | 4.2" | 0 | 8 | 66° – 77° |
| September | 76° | 53° | 3.8" | 0 | 6 | 58° – 71° |
| October | 64° | 41° | 2.8" | 0.5" | 6 | 46° – 58° |
| November | 49° | 29° | 2.0" | 2.2" | 5 | 30° – 49° |
| December | 36° | 19° | 1.4" | 4.6" | 5 | 12° – 35° |
| Year | 60° | 40° | 37.3" | 27.7" | 82 |
“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 Murray
Murray gets 37 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 82 days a year.
About 162 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 29 and the first one by October 9. That leaves about 162 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 69% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Murray
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Murray, 87% of that work is heating and 13% 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 Murray 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 Murray averaged 0.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.3°). The shift is smaller than in 94% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Murray’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 12° to 35°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Murray’s climate
What is the coldest month in Murray?
January, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 13°.
What is the hottest month in Murray?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 64°. About 25 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Murray get?
About 28 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Murray?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 9, and the last spring frost by April 29.
What is the rainiest month in Murray?
May, with 5.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 37 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Murray itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Lorimor, IA (8 mi, snow) and Osceola, IA (10 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.