Willow Creek, IL climate
Willow Creek has cold winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 28 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Willow Creek feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Willow Creek 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° | 14° | 1.7" | 8.6" | 9 | 14 | 12° – 33° |
| February | 34° | 18° | 1.7" | 8.8" | 8 | 13 | 12° – 37° |
| March | 46° | 27° | 2.3" | 1.9" | 9 | 3 | 28° – 52° |
| April | 60° | 37° | 3.6" | 0.6" | 11 | 0 | 40° – 55° |
| May | 71° | 49° | 4.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 53° – 67° |
| June | 80° | 58° | 4.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| July | 83° | 62° | 4.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 78° |
| August | 81° | 60° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 65° – 77° |
| September | 75° | 53° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| October | 62° | 41° | 3.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| November | 47° | 30° | 2.4" | 1.5" | 7 | 1 | 30° – 48° |
| December | 34° | 19° | 2.0" | 6.9" | 10 | 11 | 12° – 38° |
| Year | 59° | 39° | 37.7" | 28.3" | 115 | 44 |
“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 Willow Creek
Willow Creek 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 115 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 44 days of the year.
About 171 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 27 and the first one by October 15. That leaves about 171 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 59% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Willow Creek
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Willow Creek, 91% of that work is heating and 9% 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.
Willow Creek and its neighbors
Willow Creek borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.3°. Alto has the coldest January nights (14°) and Viola the hottest July afternoons (83°). Willow Creek’s January low is 14° and its July high 83°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Willow Creek 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 Willow Creek averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.4°). The shift is smaller than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Willow Creek’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 12° to 38°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Willow Creek’s climate
What is the coldest month in Willow Creek?
January, with a typical high of 29° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Willow Creek?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 62°. About 8 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Willow Creek get?
About 28 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Willow Creek?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 15, and the last spring frost by April 27.
What is the rainiest month in Willow Creek?
June, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Willow Creek itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Steward 3s, IL (4 mi, snow) and Paw Paw 2s, IL (6 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.