Lincoln has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 74 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Lincoln at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Lincoln’s climate
Read from where Lincoln sits among Wisconsin’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
74 inches of snow, 32 of rain and melt
July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 112 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Living with Lincoln’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
133 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 20 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 2.
About 74" a winter over 25 days with an inch or more, most in January.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through May. Heating is 97% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 5 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 79°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 3.3 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 →About 133 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 20 and the first by October 2.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
What a year in Lincoln feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Lincoln and its neighbors
Grand View has the coldest January nights next door (3°) and Kelly the hottest July afternoons (79°). Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Lincoln averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°).
A bigger shift than in 74% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Lincoln compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Wisconsin.
Lincoln 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 | 22° | 4° | 1.2" | 15.5" | 9 | 0° – 25° |
| February | 27° | 6° | 1.1" | 12.1" | 6 | 6° – 32° |
| March | 39° | 17° | 1.6" | 12.5" | 8 | 18° – 42° |
| April | 52° | 29° | 2.7" | 6.5" | 10 | 33° – 47° |
| May | 66° | 40° | 3.6" | 0.1" | 10 | 47° – 58° |
| June | 75° | 50° | 4.0" | 0 | 11 | 59° – 66° |
| July | 79° | 55° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 61° – 73° |
| August | 77° | 54° | 3.6" | 0 | 10 | 60° – 69° |
| September | 69° | 46° | 3.4" | 0 | 10 | 50° – 62° |
| October | 55° | 35° | 3.3" | 1.2" | 10 | 39° – 49° |
| November | 39° | 24° | 2.0" | 12.9" | 8 | 22° – 42° |
| December | 27° | 11° | 1.5" | 13.4" | 9 | 7° – 29° |
| Year | 52° | 31° | 32.3" | 74.2" | 112 |
Heating and cooling a home in Lincoln
97% 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. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 6° to 32°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Lincoln’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lincoln?
January, with a typical high of 22° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in Lincoln?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 55°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lincoln get?
About 74 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Lincoln?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 2, and the last spring frost by May 20.
What is the rainiest month in Lincoln?
July, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 32 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Lincoln.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lincoln itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Drummond, WI (14 mi, snow) and Ashland 3s, WI (12 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.