Kappa has chilly winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 20 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Kappa at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Kappa’s climate
Read from where Kappa sits among Illinois’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Kappa averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.8°).
A bigger shift than in 74% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
Living with Kappa’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
172 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 25 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 16.
About 20" a winter over 8 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 32 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 86% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 26 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 85°.
The nicest months are May, June, August, September and October.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →20 inches of snow, 38 of rain and melt
May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 113 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
What a year in Kappa feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 172 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 25 and the first by October 16.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
How Kappa compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Illinois.
Kappa 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 | 33° | 16° | 2.1" | 7.5" | 9 | 14 | 17° – 36° |
| February | 38° | 20° | 1.8" | 5.5" | 8 | 7 | 16° – 40° |
| March | 50° | 29° | 2.6" | 2.2" | 10 | 3 | 32° – 55° |
| April | 63° | 39° | 3.7" | 0.5" | 12 | 0 | 43° – 58° |
| May | 74° | 51° | 4.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 56° – 70° |
| June | 83° | 60° | 4.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| July | 85° | 64° | 4.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 69° – 81° |
| August | 83° | 61° | 3.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 67° – 78° |
| September | 78° | 54° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 60° – 71° |
| October | 65° | 42° | 3.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| November | 50° | 31° | 2.7" | 0.8" | 9 | 1 | 33° – 49° |
| December | 38° | 22° | 2.2" | 3.6" | 9 | 7 | 16° – 40° |
| Year | 62° | 41° | 37.9" | 20.1" | 113 | 32 |
Heating and cooling a home in Kappa
86% 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. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 16° to 40°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Kappa’s climate
What is the coldest month in Kappa?
January, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Kappa?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 64°. About 26 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Kappa get?
About 20 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Kappa?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 16, and the last spring frost by April 25.
What is the rainiest month in Kappa?
May, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Kappa.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Kappa itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Normal 4ne, IL (9 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.