Fairbury, NE climate
Fairbury has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 21 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Fairbury feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Fairbury 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 | 37° | 16° | 0.7" | 5.7" | 5 | 12 | 20° – 39° |
| February | 42° | 20° | 0.9" | 5.6" | 5 | 8 | 20° – 40° |
| March | 54° | 30° | 1.7" | 2.4" | 7 | 3 | 34° – 55° |
| April | 65° | 40° | 2.8" | 0.8" | 10 | 0 | 44° – 58° |
| May | 75° | 51° | 4.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 56° – 70° |
| June | 85° | 62° | 4.6" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 68° – 78° |
| July | 89° | 66° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 72° – 83° |
| August | 87° | 64° | 3.4" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 70° – 82° |
| September | 80° | 55° | 3.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 60° – 74° |
| October | 67° | 42° | 2.3" | 0.4" | 7 | 0 | 47° – 59° |
| November | 52° | 29° | 1.3" | 2.4" | 5 | 2 | 32° – 50° |
| December | 40° | 20° | 1.0" | 3.4" | 5 | 6 | 18° – 35° |
| Year | 64° | 41° | 30.7" | 20.7" | 91 | 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 Fairbury
Fairbury gets 31 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 91 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 32 days of the year.
About 169 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 25 and the first one by October 15. That leaves about 169 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 62% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Fairbury
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Fairbury, 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.
How Fairbury 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 Fairbury averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.0°). The shift is larger than in 68% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Fairbury’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 34° to 55°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Fairbury’s climate
What is the coldest month in Fairbury?
January, with a typical high of 37° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Fairbury?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 66°. About 42 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Fairbury get?
About 21 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Fairbury?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 15, and the last spring frost by April 25.
What is the rainiest month in Fairbury?
May, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 31 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Fairbury itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Fairbury 5s, NE (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.