North Platte, NE climate
North Platte has cold winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, 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 North Platte feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
North Platte 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 | 39° | 14° | 0.4" | 5.0" | 4 | 9 | 18° – 38° |
| February | 43° | 16° | 0.6" | 5.9" | 5 | 9 | 19° – 39° |
| March | 54° | 25° | 1.0" | 4.0" | 6 | 2 | 31° – 51° |
| April | 63° | 34° | 2.3" | 4.6" | 9 | 1 | 42° – 54° |
| May | 72° | 45° | 3.4" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 52° – 63° |
| June | 83° | 55° | 3.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 65° – 75° |
| July | 89° | 61° | 3.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 68° – 80° |
| August | 87° | 59° | 2.6" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 67° – 78° |
| September | 79° | 49° | 1.7" | 0.1" | 6 | 0 | 58° – 70° |
| October | 65° | 35° | 1.7" | 1.4" | 6 | 1 | 41° – 56° |
| November | 51° | 23° | 0.6" | 3.4" | 4 | 1 | 27° – 44° |
| December | 41° | 15° | 0.4" | 3.8" | 3 | 8 | 19° – 33° |
| Year | 64° | 36° | 21.3" | 28.3" | 80 | 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 North Platte
North Platte gets 21 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 80 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 32 days of the year.
About 158 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 3 and the first one by October 10. That leaves about 158 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 73% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in North Platte
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In North Platte, 89% of that work is heating and 11% 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 North Platte 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 North Platte averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.0°). The shift is smaller than in 85% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at North Platte’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 18° to 38°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about North Platte’s climate
What is the coldest month in North Platte?
January, with a typical high of 39° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in North Platte?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 61°. About 32 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does North Platte get?
About 28 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in North Platte?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 10, and the last spring frost by May 3.
What is the rainiest month in North Platte?
June, with 3.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 21 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for North Platte itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at North Platte Exp Farm, NE (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.