Colfax has chilly winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 21 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Colfax at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Colfax’s climate
Read from where Colfax sits among Illinois’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Colfax averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.4°).
A bigger shift than in 62% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
What a year in Colfax feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
21 inches of snow, 40 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 123 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 190 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 15 and the first by October 24.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Colfax’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
190 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 15 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 24.
About 21" a winter over 7 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 30 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 84% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 23 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 85°.
The nicest months are April, May, June, September and October.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Colfax and its neighbors
Scott has the coldest January nights next door (18°) and Sadorus the hottest July afternoons (85°). 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 Colfax compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Illinois.
Colfax 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 | 34° | 18° | 2.3" | 6.5" | 10 | 12 | 19° – 38° |
| February | 39° | 22° | 2.0" | 5.8" | 9 | 9 | 19° – 41° |
| March | 51° | 31° | 2.5" | 2.5" | 11 | 2 | 34° – 55° |
| April | 64° | 41° | 4.0" | 0.3" | 12 | 0 | 45° – 59° |
| May | 74° | 52° | 4.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 57° – 72° |
| June | 83° | 62° | 4.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| July | 85° | 65° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 70° – 81° |
| August | 84° | 62° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 68° – 79° |
| September | 79° | 55° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 61° – 72° |
| October | 66° | 43° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 50° – 60° |
| November | 51° | 33° | 3.2" | 0.9" | 10 | 1 | 35° – 49° |
| December | 39° | 24° | 2.3" | 4.8" | 10 | 6 | 17° – 41° |
| Year | 62° | 42° | 39.5" | 20.8" | 123 | 30 |
Heating and cooling a home in Colfax
84% 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. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 17° to 41°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Colfax’s climate
What is the coldest month in Colfax?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Colfax?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 65°. About 23 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Colfax get?
About 21 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Colfax?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 24, and the last spring frost by April 15.
What is the rainiest month in Colfax?
June, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 40 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Colfax.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Colfax itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Champaign 3s, IL (10 mi) away. 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.