Palmer has chilly winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 16 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Palmer at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What a year in Palmer feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
16 inches of snow, 40 of rain and melt
May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 100 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 190 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 12 and the first by October 20.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Palmer’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
190 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 12 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 20.
About 16" a winter over 7 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 22 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from November through April. Heating is 82% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 25 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 87°.
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 Palmer averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.9°).
A smaller shift than in 71% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Palmer compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Illinois.
Palmer 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 | 36° | 20° | 2.3" | 5.9" | 7 | 10 | 22° – 39° |
| February | 41° | 24° | 2.0" | 3.9" | 7 | 5 | 20° – 42° |
| March | 52° | 33° | 2.9" | 2.4" | 9 | 1 | 35° – 57° |
| April | 65° | 42° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 47° – 60° |
| May | 75° | 54° | 4.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 59° – 72° |
| June | 84° | 62° | 4.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| July | 87° | 65° | 3.7" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 71° – 83° |
| August | 85° | 63° | 3.3" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 69° – 80° |
| September | 80° | 55° | 3.1" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| October | 67° | 44° | 3.3" | 0.2" | 9 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| November | 52° | 34° | 3.2" | 0.6" | 8 | 1 | 35° – 50° |
| December | 41° | 25° | 2.3" | 3.2" | 8 | 4 | 19° – 41° |
| Year | 64° | 43° | 40.0" | 16.2" | 100 | 22 |
Heating and cooling a home in Palmer
82% 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 19° to 41°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Palmer’s climate
What is the coldest month in Palmer?
January, with a typical high of 36° and a low of 20°.
What is the hottest month in Palmer?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 65°. About 25 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Palmer get?
About 16 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Palmer?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 20, and the last spring frost by April 12.
What is the rainiest month in Palmer?
May, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 40 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Palmer.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Palmer itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Morrisonville, IL (4 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.