West Galena, IL climate
West Galena has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 32 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in West Galena feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
West Galena 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 | 28° | 12° | 1.3" | 9.3" | 8 | 22 | 10° – 33° |
| February | 33° | 16° | 1.5" | 8.3" | 8 | 17 | 11° – 37° |
| March | 46° | 27° | 2.2" | 3.9" | 9 | 6 | 28° – 52° |
| April | 59° | 37° | 3.8" | 0.4" | 11 | 0 | 39° – 55° |
| May | 71° | 49° | 4.3" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 54° – 67° |
| June | 80° | 59° | 5.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| July | 84° | 63° | 4.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 67° – 80° |
| August | 82° | 61° | 4.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 66° – 78° |
| September | 75° | 53° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 58° – 69° |
| October | 62° | 41° | 3.0" | 0.2" | 8 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| November | 46° | 29° | 2.3" | 1.3" | 8 | 2 | 30° – 48° |
| December | 34° | 18° | 1.7" | 8.4" | 9 | 13 | 12° – 36° |
| Year | 58° | 39° | 38.0" | 31.9" | 109 | 60 |
“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 West Galena
West Galena 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 109 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 60 days of the year.
About 172 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 25 and the first one by October 16. That leaves about 172 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 58% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in West Galena
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In West Galena, 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.
West Galena and its neighbors
West Galena borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.4°. Menominee has the coldest January nights (12°) and East Galena the hottest July afternoons (83°). West Galena’s January low is 12° and its July high 84°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How West Galena 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 West Galena averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.1°). The shift is smaller than in 70% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at West Galena’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 11° to 37°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about West Galena’s climate
What is the coldest month in West Galena?
January, with a typical high of 28° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in West Galena?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 63°. About 17 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does West Galena get?
About 32 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in West Galena?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 16, and the last spring frost by April 25.
What is the rainiest month in West Galena?
June, with 5.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for West Galena itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Bellevue L&d 12, IA (10 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.