Oelwein, IA climate
Oelwein has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 39 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Oelwein feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Oelwein 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 | 25° | 8° | 1.1" | 8.7" | 7 | 23 | 7° – 30° |
| February | 30° | 13° | 1.2" | 10.9" | 6 | 22 | 7° – 34° |
| March | 43° | 25° | 2.0" | 4.4" | 8 | 11 | 25° – 50° |
| April | 58° | 35° | 3.8" | 2.2" | 10 | 1 | 37° – 53° |
| May | 70° | 47° | 4.8" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 53° – 66° |
| June | 79° | 57° | 5.9" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| July | 82° | 61° | 4.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 78° |
| August | 80° | 58° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 64° – 75° |
| September | 74° | 51° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 55° – 68° |
| October | 60° | 38° | 2.8" | 0.3" | 8 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 45° | 26° | 2.0" | 1.8" | 6 | 2 | 27° – 47° |
| December | 31° | 15° | 1.5" | 10.9" | 8 | 13 | 8° – 34° |
| Year | 56° | 36° | 37.8" | 39.3" | 106 | 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 Oelwein
Oelwein gets 38 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 106 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 72 days of the year.
About 169 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 27 and the first one by October 13. That leaves about 169 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 62% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Oelwein
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Oelwein, 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 Oelwein 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 Oelwein averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.7°). The shift is smaller than in 79% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Oelwein’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 7° to 34°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Oelwein’s climate
What is the coldest month in Oelwein?
January, with a typical high of 25° and a low of 8°.
What is the hottest month in Oelwein?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 61°. About 9 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Oelwein get?
About 39 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Oelwein?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 13, and the last spring frost by April 27.
What is the rainiest month in Oelwein?
June, with 5.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Oelwein itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Oelwein 1e, IA (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.