Dalton has chilly winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 15 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Dalton at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What a year in Dalton feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
15 inches of snow, 39 of rain and melt
May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 112 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 192 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 14 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 Dalton’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
192 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 14 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 15" a winter over 5 days with an inch or more, most in December.
Months averaging under 55° run from November through April. Heating is 83% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 26 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 86°.
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 →Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Dalton averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.1°).
A smaller shift than in 66% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Dalton compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Illinois.
Dalton 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 | 35° | 19° | 2.2" | 4.0" | 8 | 20° – 38° |
| February | 40° | 23° | 2.0" | 4.3" | 9 | 19° – 41° |
| March | 51° | 32° | 2.7" | 1.3" | 10 | 35° – 55° |
| April | 64° | 42° | 4.2" | 0.3" | 10 | 45° – 59° |
| May | 74° | 53° | 4.6" | 0 | 13 | 58° – 72° |
| June | 83° | 62° | 4.5" | 0 | 11 | 68° – 76° |
| July | 86° | 65° | 4.0" | 0 | 9 | 70° – 82° |
| August | 84° | 63° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 69° – 79° |
| September | 79° | 55° | 3.0" | 0 | 7 | 62° – 72° |
| October | 67° | 44° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 50° – 61° |
| November | 51° | 33° | 3.2" | 0.5" | 9 | 34° – 50° |
| December | 39° | 24° | 2.3" | 4.7" | 10 | 18° – 41° |
| Year | 63° | 43° | 39.2" | 15.1" | 112 |
Heating and cooling a home in Dalton
83% 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 18° to 41°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Dalton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Dalton?
January, with a typical high of 35° and a low of 19°.
What is the hottest month in Dalton?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 65°. About 26 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Dalton get?
About 15 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Dalton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 24, and the last spring frost by April 14.
What is the rainiest month in Dalton?
May, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 39 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Dalton.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Dalton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Lovington, IL (9 mi, snow) and Decatur Wtp, IL (11 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.