Elk River, ID climate
Elk River has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 119 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Elk River feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Elk River 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 | 36° | 24° | 4.8" | 32.8" | 19 | 31 | 24° – 34° |
| February | 41° | 24° | 3.6" | 16.6" | 16 | 27 | 26° – 39° |
| March | 48° | 29° | 3.3" | 16.5" | 17 | 23 | 33° – 46° |
| April | 56° | 33° | 3.0" | 4.2" | 14 | 7 | 39° – 52° |
| May | 66° | 40° | 2.9" | 0.8" | 13 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| June | 72° | 45° | 2.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 55° – 67° |
| July | 83° | 49° | 0.8" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 57° – 72° |
| August | 83° | 48° | 0.8" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| September | 73° | 42° | 1.3" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| October | 57° | 34° | 3.1" | 0.2" | 12 | 1 | 40° – 53° |
| November | 43° | 29° | 4.5" | 16.0" | 17 | 11 | 31° – 43° |
| December | 35° | 23° | 4.8" | 31.6" | 19 | 27 | 23° – 33° |
| Year | 58° | 35° | 35.4" | 118.7" | 156 | 127 |
“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 Elk River
Elk River gets 35 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 156 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 127 days of the year.
About 128 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 16 and the first one by September 23. That leaves about 128 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 95% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Elk River
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Elk River, 98% of that work is heating and 2% 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 Elk River 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 Elk River averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.6°). The shift is smaller than in 61% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Elk River’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. July swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 57° to 72°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Elk River’s climate
What is the coldest month in Elk River?
December, with a typical high of 35° and a low of 23°.
What is the hottest month in Elk River?
August, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 48°. About 15 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Elk River get?
About 119 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Elk River?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 23, and the last spring frost by May 16.
What is the rainiest month in Elk River?
December, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 35 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Elk River itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Headquarters, ID (20 mi, snow) and Elk Rvr, ID (1 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.