Seward, IL climate
Seward has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 37 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Seward feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Seward 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 | 29° | 13° | 1.6" | 10.9" | 10 | 20 | 11° – 33° |
| February | 34° | 17° | 1.7" | 8.5" | 9 | 14 | 12° – 36° |
| March | 46° | 27° | 2.4" | 4.9" | 11 | 5 | 29° – 52° |
| April | 60° | 37° | 3.8" | 0.9" | 12 | 0 | 40° – 55° |
| May | 71° | 49° | 4.3" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| June | 80° | 58° | 5.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| July | 84° | 62° | 4.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 67° – 79° |
| August | 81° | 60° | 4.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 65° – 77° |
| September | 75° | 52° | 3.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| October | 62° | 40° | 2.9" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 47° | 30° | 2.4" | 2.3" | 9 | 2 | 30° – 48° |
| December | 34° | 19° | 2.0" | 9.4" | 10 | 13 | 13° – 37° |
| Year | 58° | 39° | 38.0" | 37.1" | 121 | 55 |
“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 Seward
Seward 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 121 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 55 days of the year.
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.
Heating and cooling a home in Seward
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Seward, 89% of that work is heating and 11% 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.
Seward and its neighbors
Seward borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.2°. Leaf River has the coldest January nights (13°) and Pecatonica the hottest July afternoons (84°). Seward’s January low is 13° and its July high 84°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Seward 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 Seward averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°). The shift is larger than in 57% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Seward’s spot on NOAA’s grid
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 36°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Seward’s climate
What is the coldest month in Seward?
January, with a typical high of 29° and a low of 13°.
What is the hottest month in Seward?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 62°. About 15 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Seward get?
About 37 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Seward?
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 Seward?
June, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Seward itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Rockford Gtr Rockford Airport, IL (13 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.