Climate · Marion

Marion, IL climate

Marion has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 32 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade
July high
84°
420th coolest of 2,886 Illinois towns
January low
13°
147th coldest of 2,886 Illinois towns
Rain + melted snow
38 in
618th driest of 2,886 Illinois towns
Snow a winter
32 in
445th snowiest of 2,880 Illinois towns
A normal year

What a year in Marion feels like

Winter

33° / 16°
Typical high / low · 11 days with an inch or more of snow

Spring

59° / 38°
Typical high / low · Last frost around Apr 24

Summer

82° / 60°
Typical high / low · 15 days reach 90° in a normal year

Fall

62° / 41°
Typical high / low · First frost around Oct 17
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Month by month

Marion weather by month

Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet days30-yr range
January29°13°1.6" 13.6"7 11° – 34°
February34°17°1.7" 6.7"6 12° – 37°
March47°28°2.4" 3.0"7 29° – 52°
April60°37°3.8" 0.8"8 40° – 55°
May71°49°4.4" 010 54° – 66°
June81°58°5.2" 09 66° – 74°
July84°62°4.0" 07 67° – 79°
August82°60°4.0" 07 65° – 77°
September76°52°3.6" 07 58° – 69°
October63°41°2.9" 07 47° – 58°
November47°30°2.4" 1.5"6 30° – 48°
December35°19°2.0" 6.7"7 13° – 37°
Year59°39°38.0"32.3"88

“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 & snow

Rain and snow in Marion

Marion gets 38 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 88 days a year.

38 in
Rain + melted snow a year
Less rain than 56% of U.S. towns
32 in
Snow in a normal winter
More snow than 60% of U.S. towns
88 days
With rain or snow (0.01"+)

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water
5.2"

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow
14"
Frost & the growing season

About 174 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 24 and the first one by October 17. That leaves about 174 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 56% of U.S. towns.

136
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
12
nights below 0° in a normal year
15
days that reach 90° in a normal year

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Marion

Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Marion, 89% of that work is heating and 11% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.

89%heating
6,497 heating degree daysMore heating than 66% of U.S. towns
838 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 50% of U.S. towns

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.

Around Marion

Marion and its neighbors

Marion borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.4°. Rockvale has the coldest January nights (13°) and Byron the hottest July afternoons (84°). Marion’s January low is 13° and its July high 84°.

Winnebago: January low 13°, July high 83°Leaf River: January low 13°, July high 84°Oregon-Nashua: January low 13°, July high 84°Lafayette: January low 13°, July high 83°Monroe: January low 13°, July high 84°White Rock: January low 13°, July high 83°Mount Morris: January low 13°, July high 83°Cherry Valley: January low 14°, July high 84°Owen: January low 13°, July high 83°Harlem: January low 13°, July high 83°Belvidere: January low 13°, July high 84°Rockford: January low 13°, July high 84°Cherry Valley: January low 14°, July high 84°Loves Park: January low 13°, July high 83°Byron: January low 13°, July high 84°Pine Rock: January low 13°, July high 84°Scott: January low 13°, July high 84°Rockvale: January low 13°, July high 84°Rockford: January low 13°, July high 84°Marion: January low 13°, July high 84° MarionByronPine RockScottRockvaleRockford
ColderMilder13° to 14°
Rockvale12.9° −0.2°
Marion13.1°
Byron13.1° same
Pine Rock13.2° +0.1°
Scott13.3° +0.2°
Rockford13.3° +0.2°

Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.

Compared with other towns

How Marion compares

Summer heat84° July high
Cooler than 59% of U.S. towns420th coolest of 2,886 Illinois towns
Winter cold13° January low
Colder than 75% of U.S. towns147th coldest of 2,886 Illinois towns
Precipitation38" a year
Drier than 56% of U.S. towns618th driest of 2,886 Illinois towns
Snow32" a winter
Snowier than 60% of U.S. towns445th snowiest of 2,880 Illinois towns
Growing season174 frost-free days
Shorter than 56% of U.S. towns614th shortest of 2,886 Illinois towns

Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

+1.2°1991–2020 average vs. the 20th century (1901–2000)

The last 30 years in Marion averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°). The shift is smaller than in 54% of U.S. towns.

❄️ Winter+2.1° now 24°, was 22°
🌷 Spring+1.4° now 49°, was 47°
☀️ Summer+0.3° now 71°, was 71°
🍂 Fall+0.9° now 51°, was 50°

Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Marion’s spot on NOAA’s grid

Year to year

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 12° to 37°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Questions

Common questions about Marion’s climate

What is the coldest month in Marion?

January, with a typical high of 29° and a low of 13°.

What is the hottest month in Marion?

July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 62°. About 15 days a year reach 90°.

How much snow does Marion get?

About 32 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.

When is the first frost in Marion?

In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 17, and the last spring frost by April 24.

What is the rainiest month in Marion?

June, with 5.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.

Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Marion itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Oregon, IL (8 mi, snow) and Rockford Gtr Rockford Airport, IL (10 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.

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