Ord has cold, snowy winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 35 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Ord at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Ord’s climate
Read from where Ord sits among Nebraska’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
Living with Ord’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
150 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 5 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 3.
About 35" a winter over 12 days with an inch or more, most in February. Snow covers the ground about 46 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 89% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 33 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 87°.
The nicest months are May, June and September. 0.7 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →35 inches of snow, 26 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 93 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
What a year in Ord feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 150 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 5 and the first by October 3.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Ord averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.4°).
A smaller shift than in 61% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Ord compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Nebraska.
Ord 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 | 35° | 12° | 0.5" | 7.0" | 5 | 14 | 15° – 37° |
| February | 39° | 16° | 0.7" | 7.2" | 6 | 11 | 17° – 36° |
| March | 51° | 25° | 1.4" | 5.3" | 7 | 5 | 29° – 51° |
| April | 61° | 35° | 3.0" | 3.0" | 10 | 2 | 41° – 54° |
| May | 71° | 46° | 4.1" | 0.2" | 12 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| June | 81° | 57° | 4.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| July | 87° | 62° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 67° – 80° |
| August | 84° | 60° | 3.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| September | 77° | 50° | 2.2" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 58° – 69° |
| October | 64° | 37° | 2.0" | 1.5" | 7 | 1 | 43° – 55° |
| November | 49° | 24° | 1.0" | 4.3" | 5 | 4 | 27° – 44° |
| December | 37° | 15° | 0.7" | 6.5" | 5 | 11 | 16° – 31° |
| Year | 61° | 36° | 26.2" | 35.0" | 93 | 46 |
Heating and cooling a home in Ord
89% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 29° to 51°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Ord’s climate
What is the coldest month in Ord?
January, with a typical high of 35° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in Ord?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 62°. About 33 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Ord get?
About 35 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Ord?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 3, and the last spring frost by May 5.
What is the rainiest month in Ord?
June, with 4.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 26 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Ord.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Ord itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ord #2, NE (2 mi, snow) and Ord Evelyn Sharp Fld, NE (1 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. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.