Polk has cold winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 25 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Polk at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Polk’s climate
Read from where Polk sits among Iowa’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
25 inches of snow, 36 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 102 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Living with Polk’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
173 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 15.
About 25" a winter over 9 days with an inch or more, most in February. Snow covers the ground about 52 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 87% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 23 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 85°.
The nicest months are May, June, August, September and October. 11 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →What a year in Polk feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 173 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first by October 15.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Polk averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.4°).
A smaller shift than in 89% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Polk compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Iowa.
Polk 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 | 30° | 12° | 0.9" | 6.2" | 6 | 18 | 12° – 34° |
| February | 35° | 17° | 1.1" | 8.0" | 6 | 16 | 15° – 37° |
| March | 48° | 28° | 2.2" | 3.7" | 8 | 6 | 30° – 53° |
| April | 62° | 39° | 3.9" | 0.7" | 11 | 0 | 42° – 57° |
| May | 72° | 50° | 5.1" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 55° – 69° |
| June | 82° | 61° | 5.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 68° – 75° |
| July | 85° | 64° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 69° – 81° |
| August | 83° | 62° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 67° – 77° |
| September | 77° | 53° | 3.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 58° – 70° |
| October | 64° | 41° | 2.6" | 0.6" | 8 | 0 | 46° – 57° |
| November | 48° | 29° | 1.8" | 1.0" | 7 | 1 | 29° – 49° |
| December | 35° | 18° | 1.3" | 4.5" | 7 | 10 | 10° – 34° |
| Year | 60° | 39° | 35.9" | 24.7" | 102 | 52 |
Heating and cooling a home in Polk
87% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
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.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 10° to 34°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Polk’s climate
What is the coldest month in Polk?
January, with a typical high of 30° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in Polk?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 64°. About 23 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Polk get?
About 25 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Polk?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 15, and the last spring frost by April 23.
What is the rainiest month in Polk?
June, with 5.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 36 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Polk.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Polk itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ankeny, IA (5 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.