Sheldon, IA climate
Sheldon has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 41 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Sheldon feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Sheldon 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° | 7° | 0.7" | 8.7" | 7 | 24 | 5° – 30° |
| February | 30° | 11° | 0.9" | 7.2" | 7 | 19 | 11° – 32° |
| March | 44° | 23° | 1.7" | 6.6" | 8 | 13 | 25° – 50° |
| April | 58° | 34° | 3.1" | 3.3" | 10 | 2 | 36° – 53° |
| May | 70° | 47° | 4.1" | 0.2" | 13 | 0 | 53° – 65° |
| June | 80° | 58° | 4.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| July | 84° | 61° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 65° – 79° |
| August | 81° | 58° | 3.4" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| September | 74° | 50° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 56° – 67° |
| October | 61° | 37° | 2.3" | 0.5" | 8 | 0 | 42° – 54° |
| November | 44° | 23° | 1.4" | 4.7" | 6 | 5 | 24° – 45° |
| December | 30° | 13° | 1.0" | 9.6" | 7 | 18 | 7° – 28° |
| Year | 57° | 35° | 30.0" | 40.8" | 104 | 80 |
“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 Sheldon
Sheldon gets 30 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 104 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 80 days of the year.
About 145 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 5 and the first one by September 28. That leaves about 145 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 85% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Sheldon
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Sheldon, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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 Sheldon 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 Sheldon averaged 0.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.0°). The shift is smaller than in 95% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Sheldon’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 5° to 30°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Sheldon’s climate
What is the coldest month in Sheldon?
January, with a typical high of 25° and a low of 7°.
What is the hottest month in Sheldon?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 61°. About 12 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Sheldon get?
About 41 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Sheldon?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 28, and the last spring frost by May 5.
What is the rainiest month in Sheldon?
June, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 30 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Sheldon itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Sheldon, IA (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.