Kearney, NE climate
Kearney has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 22 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Kearney feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Kearney 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° | 14° | 0.5" | 3.7" | 4 | 11 | 17° – 38° |
| February | 41° | 18° | 0.7" | 5.6" | 5 | 8 | 19° – 38° |
| March | 53° | 27° | 1.4" | 3.5" | 6 | 3 | 32° – 52° |
| April | 63° | 37° | 2.7" | 1.9" | 9 | 1 | 42° – 55° |
| May | 72° | 47° | 4.4" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 54° – 65° |
| June | 83° | 59° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| July | 87° | 63° | 3.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 69° – 80° |
| August | 85° | 61° | 3.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 68° – 78° |
| September | 79° | 51° | 1.9" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 59° – 71° |
| October | 66° | 38° | 2.0" | 0.8" | 7 | 0 | 44° – 57° |
| November | 51° | 26° | 1.1" | 2.8" | 4 | 2 | 28° – 46° |
| December | 39° | 17° | 0.6" | 3.4" | 4 | 8 | 19° – 33° |
| Year | 63° | 38° | 25.7" | 21.8" | 82 | 33 |
“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 Kearney
Kearney gets 26 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 82 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 33 days of the year.
About 162 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first one by October 10. That leaves about 162 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 69% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Kearney
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Kearney, 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 Kearney 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 Kearney averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.9°). The shift is smaller than in 77% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Kearney’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 17° to 38°. August is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Kearney’s climate
What is the coldest month in Kearney?
January, with a typical high of 37° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Kearney?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 63°. About 31 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Kearney get?
About 22 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Kearney?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 10, and the last spring frost by April 30.
What is the rainiest month in Kearney?
May, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 26 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Kearney itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Kearney 4 Ne, NE (4 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.