Apple River has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 32 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Apple River at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Apple River’s climate
Read from where Apple River sits among Illinois’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
About 165 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 27 and the first by October 9.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
What a year in Apple River feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Living with Apple River’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
165 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 27 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 9.
About 32" a winter over 13 days with an inch or more, most in January.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 91% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 8 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 82°.
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 →32 inches of snow, 39 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 78 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Apple River averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°).
A bigger shift than in 57% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
Apple River and its neighbors
Monticello has the coldest January nights next door (11°) and Warren the hottest July afternoons (82°). Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
How Apple River compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Illinois.
Apple 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27° | 11° | 1.4" | 10.5" | 5 | 9° – 32° |
| February | 32° | 15° | 1.6" | 7.7" | 5 | 10° – 36° |
| March | 45° | 26° | 2.2" | 3.9" | 6 | 27° – 50° |
| April | 58° | 36° | 3.9" | 0.8" | 8 | 38° – 54° |
| May | 70° | 48° | 4.3" | 0 | 9 | 53° – 66° |
| June | 79° | 58° | 5.7" | 0 | 9 | 65° – 73° |
| July | 82° | 61° | 4.8" | 0 | 7 | 65° – 78° |
| August | 80° | 59° | 4.1" | 0 | 7 | 64° – 76° |
| September | 74° | 51° | 4.0" | 0 | 6 | 56° – 68° |
| October | 61° | 39° | 3.1" | 0.2" | 6 | 46° – 56° |
| November | 45° | 28° | 2.4" | 1.1" | 5 | 29° – 46° |
| December | 33° | 17° | 1.8" | 7.9" | 6 | 11° – 35° |
| Year | 57° | 37° | 39.2" | 32.1" | 78 |
Heating and cooling a home in Apple River
91% 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. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 10° to 36°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Apple River’s climate
What is the coldest month in Apple River?
January, with a typical high of 27° and a low of 11°.
What is the hottest month in Apple River?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 61°. About 8 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Apple River get?
About 32 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Apple River?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 9, and the last spring frost by April 27.
What is the rainiest month in Apple River?
June, with 5.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 39 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Apple River.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Apple River itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Apple Rvr Canyon St Pk, IL (4 mi, snow) and Stockton 3 Nne, IL (9 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.