Wood River, NE climate
Wood River has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 30 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Wood River feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Wood River 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 37° | 14° | 0.4" | 4.4" | 4 | 17° – 38° |
| February | 41° | 17° | 0.6" | 7.0" | 5 | 18° – 37° |
| March | 52° | 26° | 1.2" | 3.8" | 7 | 31° – 51° |
| April | 61° | 35° | 2.6" | 2.8" | 10 | 41° – 54° |
| May | 71° | 45° | 4.1" | 0.1" | 11 | 52° – 64° |
| June | 82° | 56° | 3.7" | 0 | 11 | 64° – 75° |
| July | 86° | 61° | 3.1" | 0 | 9 | 68° – 79° |
| August | 84° | 59° | 2.9" | 0 | 7 | 67° – 77° |
| September | 78° | 50° | 1.8" | 0 | 6 | 58° – 69° |
| October | 64° | 36° | 1.9" | 2.0" | 7 | 42° – 56° |
| November | 50° | 24° | 0.8" | 3.7" | 5 | 26° – 44° |
| December | 39° | 16° | 0.5" | 5.7" | 4 | 19° – 32° |
| Year | 62° | 37° | 23.4" | 29.5" | 83 |
“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 Wood River
Wood River gets 23 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 83 days a year.
About 145 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 10 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 145 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 85% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Wood River
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Wood River, 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.
Wood River and its neighbors
Wood River borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.1°. Custer has both the coldest January nights (13°) and the hottest July afternoons (87°). Wood River’s January low is 14° and its July high 86°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Wood River 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 Wood River averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.9°). The shift is smaller than in 88% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Wood River’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 11°.
Common questions about Wood River’s climate
What is the coldest month in Wood River?
January, with a typical high of 37° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Wood River?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 61°. About 32 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Wood River get?
About 30 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Wood River?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 10.
What is the rainiest month in Wood River?
May, with 4.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 23 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Wood River itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Broken Bow 2 W, NE (20 mi, snow) and Oconto, NE (2 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.