Sidney, IL climate
Sidney has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 21 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Sidney feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Sidney 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 | 34° | 18° | 2.3" | 5.2" | 10 | 11 | 19° – 38° |
| February | 39° | 22° | 2.0" | 6.5" | 9 | 11 | 19° – 42° |
| March | 51° | 31° | 2.7" | 2.7" | 11 | 2 | 34° – 55° |
| April | 64° | 41° | 4.1" | 0.3" | 11 | 0 | 45° – 58° |
| May | 75° | 52° | 4.5" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 57° – 72° |
| June | 83° | 61° | 4.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| July | 85° | 64° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 70° – 81° |
| August | 84° | 62° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 68° – 79° |
| September | 79° | 55° | 3.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 61° – 72° |
| October | 66° | 43° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 50° – 60° |
| November | 51° | 33° | 3.2" | 0.8" | 9 | 1 | 35° – 49° |
| December | 39° | 24° | 2.3" | 5.1" | 11 | 7 | 17° – 41° |
| Year | 63° | 42° | 39.7" | 20.6" | 120 | 32 |
“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 Sidney
Sidney gets 40 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 120 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 32 days of the year.
About 190 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 15 and the first one by October 24. That leaves about 190 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 64% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Sidney
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Sidney, 84% of that work is heating and 16% 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.
Sidney and its neighbors
Sidney borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.7°. St. Joseph has both the coldest January nights (18°) and the hottest July afternoons (86°). Sidney’s January low is 18° and its July high 85°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Sidney 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 Sidney averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.3°). The shift is larger than in 55% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Sidney’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 17° to 41°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Sidney’s climate
What is the coldest month in Sidney?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Sidney?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 64°. About 23 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Sidney get?
About 21 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Sidney?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 24, and the last spring frost by April 15.
What is the rainiest month in Sidney?
June, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 40 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Sidney itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Philo, IL (4 mi, snow) and Champaign 3s, 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.