Riverton, IA climate
Riverton has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 21 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Riverton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Riverton 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 | 34° | 15° | 0.8" | 5.0" | 5 | 14 | 17° – 37° |
| February | 39° | 19° | 1.1" | 6.3" | 5 | 11 | 18° – 39° |
| March | 52° | 30° | 1.9" | 2.3" | 7 | 4 | 33° – 56° |
| April | 64° | 40° | 3.3" | 1.2" | 10 | 1 | 43° – 58° |
| May | 74° | 51° | 5.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 57° – 70° |
| June | 83° | 62° | 5.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 77° |
| July | 87° | 66° | 4.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 72° – 82° |
| August | 85° | 63° | 3.6" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 69° – 79° |
| September | 79° | 54° | 3.2" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 59° – 72° |
| October | 66° | 42° | 2.7" | 0.5" | 7 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 51° | 30° | 1.6" | 1.1" | 6 | 1 | 31° – 50° |
| December | 38° | 20° | 1.2" | 4.2" | 5 | 8 | 16° – 35° |
| Year | 63° | 41° | 33.9" | 20.6" | 89 | 39 |
“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 Riverton
Riverton gets 34 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 89 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 39 days of the year.
About 182 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 19 and the first one by October 19. That leaves about 182 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 55% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Riverton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Riverton, 86% of that work is heating and 14% 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 Riverton 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 Riverton averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.2°). The shift is smaller than in 89% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Riverton’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 33° to 56°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Riverton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Riverton?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 15°.
What is the hottest month in Riverton?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 66°. About 24 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Riverton get?
About 21 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Riverton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 19, and the last spring frost by April 19.
What is the rainiest month in Riverton?
May, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 34 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Riverton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Sidney 1sse, IA (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.