Iowa, LA climate
Iowa has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 43°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade7° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 92°, and a typical Sep 30 in Iowa peaks around 85°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Iowa feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Iowa 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 | 62° | 43° | 6.0" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 46° – 59° |
| February | 66° | 46° | 4.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 48° – 64° |
| March | 72° | 52° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 56° – 70° |
| April | 78° | 58° | 4.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| May | 85° | 66° | 5.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 72° – 79° |
| June | 90° | 72° | 6.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 79° – 84° |
| July | 91° | 74° | 6.0" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 81° – 85° |
| August | 92° | 74° | 5.9" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 79° – 87° |
| September | 89° | 69° | 5.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 76° – 82° |
| October | 81° | 59° | 4.6" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| November | 71° | 50° | 4.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| December | 64° | 44° | 5.1" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 46° – 60° |
| Year | 78° | 59° | 61.9" | 0.1" | 124 | 0 |
“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 Iowa
Iowa gets 62 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and March the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 124 days a year.
About 299 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 14 and the first one by December 7. That leaves about 299 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 95% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Iowa
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Iowa, 30% of that work is heating and 70% is cooling, so air conditioning is the bigger bill.
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.
How Iowa 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 Iowa averaged 0.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.2°). The shift is smaller than in 98% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Iowa’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 48° to 64°. July is the most reliable, staying within 4°.
Common questions about Iowa’s climate
What is the coldest month in Iowa?
January, with a typical high of 62° and a low of 43°.
What is the hottest month in Iowa?
August, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 74°. About 89 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Iowa get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.1 inches.
When is the first frost in Iowa?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by December 7, and the last spring frost by February 14.
What is the rainiest month in Iowa?
June, with 6.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 62 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Iowa itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Jennings, LA (21 mi, snow) and Lake Charles, LA (15 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.