Newton has cold, snowy winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 32 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Newton at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Newton’s climate
Read from where Newton sits among Illinois’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
About 175 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 22 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
32 inches of snow, 38 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 118 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
What a year in Newton feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Living with Newton’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
175 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 22 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 32" a winter over 11 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 51 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 87% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 15 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 84°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August, September and October. 1.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Newton and its neighbors
Garden Plain has the coldest January nights next door (14°) and Fenton 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.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Newton averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°).
A smaller shift than in 66% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Newton compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Illinois.
Newton 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 | 30° | 14° | 1.5" | 9.2" | 10 | 20 | 13° – 34° |
| February | 34° | 18° | 1.8" | 7.5" | 8 | 14 | 13° – 37° |
| March | 47° | 29° | 2.5" | 3.9" | 10 | 4 | 30° – 53° |
| April | 61° | 39° | 3.8" | 0.8" | 11 | 0 | 41° – 57° |
| May | 72° | 50° | 4.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 55° – 68° |
| June | 81° | 60° | 5.0" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 68° – 75° |
| July | 84° | 64° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 68° – 80° |
| August | 82° | 62° | 4.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 78° |
| September | 76° | 54° | 3.9" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| October | 63° | 42° | 2.8" | 0.3" | 9 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| November | 48° | 30° | 2.4" | 2.3" | 9 | 2 | 31° – 48° |
| December | 35° | 20° | 2.0" | 7.9" | 10 | 11 | 13° – 37° |
| Year | 59° | 40° | 38.4" | 31.9" | 118 | 51 |
Heating and cooling a home in Newton
87% 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 13° to 37°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Newton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Newton?
January, with a typical high of 30° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Newton?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 64°. About 15 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Newton get?
About 32 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Newton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 16, and the last spring frost by April 22.
What is the rainiest month in Newton?
June, with 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Newton.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Newton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Clinton #1, IA (8 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.