West Bend has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 37 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in West Bend at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about West Bend’s climate
Read from where West Bend sits among Iowa’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
About 160 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first by October 6.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
37 inches of snow, 33 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 96 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
What a year in West Bend feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Living with West Bend’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
160 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 30 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 6.
About 37" a winter over 12 days with an inch or more, most in February. Snow covers the ground about 79 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 92% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 10 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 83°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in West Bend averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.1°).
A smaller shift than in 84% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How West Bend compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Iowa.
West Bend 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° | 0.8" | 8.0" | 5 | 23 | 5° – 29° |
| February | 30° | 12° | 1.0" | 8.2" | 6 | 23 | 11° – 33° |
| March | 43° | 25° | 1.8" | 5.9" | 7 | 11 | 27° – 50° |
| April | 59° | 36° | 3.6" | 2.6" | 10 | 1 | 37° – 54° |
| May | 71° | 48° | 4.7" | 0.1" | 13 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| June | 81° | 59° | 5.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| July | 83° | 62° | 3.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 78° |
| August | 81° | 59° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 65° – 75° |
| September | 75° | 51° | 3.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 57° – 68° |
| October | 61° | 38° | 2.4" | 0.3" | 7 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 45° | 25° | 1.5" | 4.9" | 6 | 5 | 25° – 47° |
| December | 31° | 14° | 1.1" | 7.1" | 6 | 17 | 7° – 29° |
| Year | 57° | 36° | 33.3" | 37.1" | 96 | 79 |
Heating and cooling a home in West Bend
92% 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. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 5° to 29°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about West Bend’s climate
What is the coldest month in West Bend?
January, with a typical high of 25° and a low of 8°.
What is the hottest month in West Bend?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 62°. About 10 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does West Bend get?
About 37 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in West Bend?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 6, and the last spring frost by April 30.
What is the rainiest month in West Bend?
June, with 5.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 33 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in West Bend.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for West Bend itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Emmetsburg, IA (16 mi, snow) and Algona, IA (13 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. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.