Glencoe, IL climate
Glencoe has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 34 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Glencoe feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Glencoe 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 | 32° | 18° | 2.0" | 11.3" | 11 | 20 | 15° – 36° |
| February | 35° | 21° | 1.9" | 7.7" | 9 | 14 | 16° – 39° |
| March | 45° | 30° | 2.2" | 5.6" | 10 | 7 | 30° – 52° |
| April | 56° | 39° | 3.7" | 1.1" | 13 | 1 | 39° – 54° |
| May | 67° | 48° | 4.5" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 52° – 65° |
| June | 77° | 58° | 4.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| July | 82° | 65° | 3.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 68° – 80° |
| August | 81° | 64° | 3.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 67° – 78° |
| September | 74° | 57° | 3.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| October | 62° | 45° | 3.3" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| November | 48° | 34° | 2.5" | 1.9" | 10 | 2 | 33° – 49° |
| December | 37° | 24° | 2.1" | 5.9" | 11 | 10 | 18° – 40° |
| Year | 58° | 42° | 37.6" | 33.6" | 130 | 53 |
“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 Glencoe
Glencoe gets 38 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 130 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 53 days of the year.
About 176 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first one by October 21. That leaves about 176 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 53% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Glencoe
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Glencoe, 89% of that work is heating and 11% 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.
Glencoe and its neighbors
Glencoe borders 7 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.3°. Northbrook has the coldest January nights (17°) and Northfield the hottest July afternoons (83°). Glencoe’s January low is 18° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Glencoe 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 Glencoe averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°). The shift is larger than in 60% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Glencoe’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 16° to 39°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Glencoe’s climate
What is the coldest month in Glencoe?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Glencoe?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 65°. About 17 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Glencoe get?
About 34 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Glencoe?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 21, and the last spring frost by April 26.
What is the rainiest month in Glencoe?
May, with 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Glencoe itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Chicago Botanic Garden, IL (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.