Climate · Atkinson

Atkinson, IL climate

Atkinson has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 28 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade
July high
84°
909th coolest of 2,886 Illinois towns
January low
14°
420th coldest of 2,886 Illinois towns
Rain + melted snow
38 in
754th driest of 2,886 Illinois towns
Snow a winter
28 in
709th snowiest of 2,880 Illinois towns
A normal year

What a year in Atkinson feels like

Winter

34° / 18°
Typical high / low · 10 days with an inch or more of snow

Spring

61° / 39°
Typical high / low · Last frost around Apr 20

Summer

83° / 62°
Typical high / low · 22 days reach 90° in a normal year

Fall

63° / 42°
Typical high / low · First frost around Oct 20
Best months to be outsideMayJunAugSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Month by month

Atkinson weather by month

Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet days30-yr range
January31°14°1.7" 9.8"8 14° – 35°
February36°19°1.8" 6.1"7 14° – 38°
March49°29°2.5" 2.8"9 30° – 53°
April62°39°3.8" 0.7"11 42° – 58°
May73°51°4.9" 012 56° – 69°
June82°60°4.8" 010 68° – 75°
July84°64°4.0" 08 69° – 80°
August83°62°3.9" 09 67° – 78°
September77°53°3.5" 08 59° – 70°
October64°42°2.9" 0.1"9 48° – 58°
November49°31°2.5" 1.6"8 32° – 49°
December36°20°2.1" 7.3"8 13° – 38°
Year60°40°38.1"28.4"108

“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 & snow

Rain and snow in Atkinson

Atkinson gets 38 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 108 days a year.

38 in
Rain + melted snow a year
Less rain than 56% of U.S. towns
28 in
Snow in a normal winter
More snow than 55% of U.S. towns
108 days
With rain or snow (0.01"+)

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water
4.9"

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow
9.8"
Frost & the growing season

About 180 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 20 and the first one by October 20. That leaves about 180 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 53% of U.S. towns.

126
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
9
nights below 0° in a normal year
22
days that reach 90° in a normal year

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Atkinson

Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Atkinson, 86% of that work is heating and 14% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.

86%heating
6,139 heating degree daysMore heating than 59% of U.S. towns
1,031 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 62% of U.S. towns

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.

Around Atkinson

Atkinson and its neighbors

Atkinson borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.2°. Loraine has the coldest January nights (14°) and Geneseo the hottest July afternoons (85°). Atkinson’s January low is 14° and its July high 84°.

Phenix: January low 14°, July high 84°Edford: January low 15°, July high 84°Munson: January low 15°, July high 84°Yorktown: January low 14°, July high 85°Portland: January low 14°, July high 84°Annawan: January low 14°, July high 84°Burns: January low 14°, July high 84°Gold: January low 14°, July high 84°Annawan: January low 14°, July high 84°Fairfield: January low 14°, July high 84°Geneseo: January low 15°, July high 85°Loraine: January low 14°, July high 85°Cornwall: January low 14°, July high 84°Alba: January low 14°, July high 84°Atkinson: January low 14°, July high 84° AtkinsonGeneseoLoraineCornwallAlba
ColderMilder14° to 15°
Atkinson14.3°
Loraine14.3° same
Cornwall14.4° +0.1°
Alba14.4° +0.1°
Geneseo14.5° +0.2°

Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.

Compared with other towns

How Atkinson compares

Summer heat84° July high
Cooler than 53% of U.S. towns909th coolest of 2,886 Illinois towns
Winter cold14° January low
Colder than 72% of U.S. towns420th coldest of 2,886 Illinois towns
Precipitation38" a year
Drier than 56% of U.S. towns754th driest of 2,886 Illinois towns
Snow28" a winter
Snowier than 55% of U.S. towns709th snowiest of 2,880 Illinois towns
Growing season180 frost-free days
Longer than 53% of U.S. towns1142nd shortest of 2,886 Illinois towns

Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

+1.1°1991–2020 average vs. the 20th century (1901–2000)

The last 30 years in Atkinson averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°). The shift is smaller than in 65% of U.S. towns.

❄️ Winter+1.8° now 26°, was 24°
🌷 Spring+1.4° now 50°, was 49°
☀️ Summer+0.3° now 72°, was 72°
🍂 Fall+0.7° now 53°, was 52°

Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Atkinson’s spot on NOAA’s grid

Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 13° to 38°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Questions

Common questions about Atkinson’s climate

What is the coldest month in Atkinson?

January, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 14°.

What is the hottest month in Atkinson?

July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 64°. About 22 days a year reach 90°.

How much snow does Atkinson get?

About 28 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.

When is the first frost in Atkinson?

In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 20, and the last spring frost by April 20.

What is the rainiest month in Atkinson?

May, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.

Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Atkinson itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Geneseo, IL (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.

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