Pittsfield, IL climate
Pittsfield has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 16 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Pittsfield feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Pittsfield 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 | 35° | 19° | 2.0" | 4.0" | 6 | 10 | 21° – 39° |
| February | 41° | 24° | 1.9" | 5.1" | 7 | 7 | 21° – 43° |
| March | 52° | 33° | 2.8" | 1.7" | 9 | 2 | 35° – 56° |
| April | 64° | 42° | 4.1" | 0.3" | 11 | 0 | 46° – 60° |
| May | 74° | 53° | 4.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 58° – 73° |
| June | 83° | 62° | 4.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 78° |
| July | 86° | 66° | 4.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 71° – 82° |
| August | 85° | 64° | 3.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 68° – 80° |
| September | 78° | 56° | 3.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| October | 66° | 45° | 3.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| November | 52° | 34° | 2.7" | 1.1" | 8 | 1 | 36° – 51° |
| December | 40° | 24° | 2.2" | 3.4" | 7 | 5 | 18° – 41° |
| Year | 63° | 43° | 39.3" | 15.6" | 102 | 24 |
“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 Pittsfield
Pittsfield gets 39 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 102 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 24 days of the year.
About 189 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 14 and the first one by October 21. That leaves about 189 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 63% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Pittsfield
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Pittsfield, 81% of that work is heating and 19% 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.
Pittsfield and its neighbors
Pittsfield borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.2°. New Salem has the coldest January nights (19°) and Atlas the hottest July afternoons (87°). Pittsfield’s January low is 19° and its July high 86°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Pittsfield 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 Pittsfield averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.9°). The shift is smaller than in 85% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Pittsfield’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 18° to 41°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Pittsfield’s climate
What is the coldest month in Pittsfield?
January, with a typical high of 35° and a low of 19°.
What is the hottest month in Pittsfield?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 66°. About 31 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Pittsfield get?
About 16 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Pittsfield?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 21, and the last spring frost by April 14.
What is the rainiest month in Pittsfield?
May, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 39 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Pittsfield itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Pittsfield #2, IL (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.