Prairie Creek, NE climate
Prairie Creek has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 29 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Prairie Creek feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Prairie Creek 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° | 14° | 0.6" | 6.2" | 5 | 13 | 17° – 38° |
| February | 39° | 18° | 0.7" | 7.1" | 5 | 13 | 18° – 38° |
| March | 52° | 27° | 1.5" | 4.7" | 6 | 4 | 31° – 53° |
| April | 63° | 37° | 2.7" | 1.7" | 9 | 1 | 43° – 56° |
| May | 73° | 49° | 4.6" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 54° – 67° |
| June | 83° | 60° | 4.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 67° – 77° |
| July | 87° | 64° | 3.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 69° – 81° |
| August | 84° | 62° | 3.4" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| September | 78° | 53° | 2.3" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 60° – 71° |
| October | 65° | 39° | 2.2" | 1.2" | 6 | 0 | 44° – 56° |
| November | 50° | 27° | 1.3" | 2.3" | 5 | 3 | 30° – 47° |
| December | 38° | 18° | 0.9" | 5.3" | 5 | 9 | 17° – 32° |
| Year | 62° | 39° | 27.6" | 28.6" | 79 | 42 |
“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 Prairie Creek
Prairie Creek gets 28 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 79 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 42 days of the year.
About 165 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 28 and the first one by October 10. That leaves about 165 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 65% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Prairie Creek
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Prairie Creek, 87% of that work is heating and 13% 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.
Prairie Creek and its neighbors
Prairie Creek borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.5°. Loup has both the coldest January nights (14°) and the hottest July afternoons (87°). Prairie Creek’s January low is 14° and its July high 87°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Prairie Creek 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 Prairie Creek averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.7°). The shift is smaller than in 74% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Prairie Creek’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 53°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Prairie Creek’s climate
What is the coldest month in Prairie Creek?
January, with a typical high of 35° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Prairie Creek?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 64°. About 33 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Prairie Creek get?
About 29 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Prairie Creek?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 10, and the last spring frost by April 28.
What is the rainiest month in Prairie Creek?
May, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 28 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Prairie Creek itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Central City, NE (10 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.