Big Spring, IL climate
Big Spring has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 14 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade15° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 88°, and a typical Oct 1 in Big Spring peaks around 73°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Big Spring feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Big Spring 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° | 20° | 2.7" | 5.2" | 9 | 10 | 21° – 40° |
| February | 41° | 24° | 2.2" | 3.4" | 7 | 5 | 20° – 42° |
| March | 52° | 33° | 3.1" | 1.4" | 9 | 1 | 35° – 56° |
| April | 65° | 43° | 4.7" | 0.3" | 11 | 0 | 46° – 60° |
| May | 75° | 54° | 4.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 58° – 72° |
| June | 84° | 63° | 4.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| July | 86° | 66° | 4.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 70° – 83° |
| August | 85° | 64° | 3.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 69° – 80° |
| September | 80° | 56° | 3.0" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| October | 67° | 45° | 3.6" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| November | 52° | 34° | 3.6" | 0.8" | 9 | 1 | 35° – 50° |
| December | 41° | 26° | 2.6" | 2.6" | 8 | 4 | 19° – 42° |
| Year | 64° | 44° | 42.3" | 13.7" | 107 | 21 |
“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 Big Spring
Big Spring gets 42 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 107 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 21 days of the year.
About 185 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 16 and the first one by October 20. That leaves about 185 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 58% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Big Spring
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Big Spring, 82% of that work is heating and 18% 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.
Big Spring and its neighbors
Big Spring borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.5°. Ash Grove has the coldest January nights (20°) and Prairie the hottest July afternoons (86°). Big Spring’s January low is 20° and its July high 86°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Big Spring 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 Big Spring averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.1°). The shift is smaller than in 71% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Big Spring’s spot on NOAA’s grid
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 19° to 42°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Big Spring’s climate
What is the coldest month in Big Spring?
January, with a typical high of 36° and a low of 20°.
What is the hottest month in Big Spring?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 66°. About 39 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Big Spring get?
About 14 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Big Spring?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 20, and the last spring frost by April 16.
What is the rainiest month in Big Spring?
June, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 42 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Big Spring itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Windsor, IL (10 mi, snow) and Neoga 4nw, IL (3 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.