Brainard, NE climate
Brainard has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 32 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Brainard feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Brainard 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 | 33° | 14° | 0.7" | 8.0" | 6 | 18 | 17° – 37° |
| February | 37° | 18° | 0.8" | 7.4" | 6 | 14 | 17° – 37° |
| March | 50° | 28° | 1.7" | 5.1" | 8 | 7 | 31° – 54° |
| April | 62° | 38° | 2.8" | 1.9" | 10 | 1 | 42° – 56° |
| May | 72° | 50° | 4.9" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 56° – 67° |
| June | 82° | 61° | 4.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| July | 86° | 65° | 3.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 69° – 81° |
| August | 83° | 63° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| September | 77° | 54° | 2.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 60° – 71° |
| October | 64° | 41° | 2.2" | 0.9" | 7 | 0 | 45° – 56° |
| November | 49° | 28° | 1.3" | 2.4" | 5 | 3 | 30° – 48° |
| December | 36° | 18° | 1.1" | 6.1" | 6 | 13 | 15° – 33° |
| Year | 61° | 40° | 30.4" | 31.8" | 97 | 56 |
“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 Brainard
Brainard gets 30 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 97 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 56 days of the year.
About 168 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first one by October 11. That leaves about 168 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 63% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Brainard
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Brainard, 88% of that work is heating and 12% 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.
How Brainard 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 Brainard averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.7°). The shift is smaller than in 66% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Brainard’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 31° to 54°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Brainard’s climate
What is the coldest month in Brainard?
January, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Brainard?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 65°. About 27 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Brainard get?
About 32 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Brainard?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 11, and the last spring frost by April 26.
What is the rainiest month in Brainard?
May, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 30 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Brainard itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at David City, NE (8 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.