West Point, IA climate
West Point has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 18 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade2° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 72°, and a typical Oct 1 in West Point peaks around 70°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in West Point feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
West Point 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 | 32° | 16° | 1.6" | 6.1" | 8 | 14 | 16° – 36° |
| February | 37° | 20° | 1.8" | 4.6" | 8 | 8 | 15° – 39° |
| March | 50° | 30° | 2.5" | 1.7" | 10 | 2 | 32° – 54° |
| April | 63° | 41° | 3.8" | 0.5" | 12 | 0 | 43° – 58° |
| May | 73° | 52° | 5.2" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 57° – 70° |
| June | 82° | 62° | 5.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 75° |
| July | 85° | 66° | 4.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 70° – 81° |
| August | 84° | 63° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 68° – 78° |
| September | 77° | 55° | 3.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| October | 64° | 44° | 3.1" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| November | 49° | 32° | 2.4" | 0.8" | 8 | 1 | 32° – 51° |
| December | 37° | 22° | 1.9" | 4.3" | 8 | 7 | 14° – 38° |
| Year | 61° | 42° | 39.3" | 18.1" | 111 | 32 |
“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 West Point
West Point gets 39 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 111 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 32 days of the year.
About 194 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 12 and the first one by October 25. That leaves about 194 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 68% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in West Point
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In West Point, 84% of that work is heating and 16% 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 West Point 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 West Point averaged 0.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.8°). The shift is smaller than in 97% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at West Point’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 15° to 39°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about West Point’s climate
What is the coldest month in West Point?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in West Point?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 66°. About 19 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does West Point get?
About 18 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in West Point?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 25, and the last spring frost by April 12.
What is the rainiest month in West Point?
May, with 5.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 39 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for West Point itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ft Madison, IA (9 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.