Climate Comfort Score
68/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 52°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Athens, IL Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 52°F
- Avg annual temp
- 68/100
- Comfort score
- 38.4"
- Annual precip
- 183d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Athens
Athens, Illinois averages 52°F a year and scores 68/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 58% of U.S. cities.
- 52°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 68/100
- comfort score, milder than 58% of U.S. cities
- 38.4"
- yearly precipitation total
- 183 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
52°F (11°C)
Avg High
63°F
Avg Low
42°F
Annual Precip
38.4"
Comfort Score
68/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
52°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
38.4"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Athens) 68.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Athens area.
How Athens compares to every U.S. city
Athens's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
68 Top 42% higher than 58% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Athens
MethodologySince 1900, U.S. land temperatures have tracked (and diverged from) the global mean - the chart below shows how. Athens's current NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits within that longer spread, and the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35°F (1°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 2.2" | 27.3 | 0.0 |
| February | 40°F (4°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 31°F (-1°C) | 2.0" | 25.2 | 0.0 |
| March | 52°F (11°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 2.7" | 18.2 | 0.0 |
| April | 64°F (18°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 3.9" | 5.2 | 0.0 |
| May | 74°F (23°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 4.5" | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| June | 81°F (27°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 4.2" | 0.0 | 2.9 |
| July | 85°F (29°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 3.7" | 0.0 | 5.3 |
| August | 83°F (29°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 3.3" | 0.0 | 5.6 |
| September | 78°F (26°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 3.1" | 0.0 | 2.2 |
| October | 66°F (19°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 3.4" | 4.4 | 0.1 |
| November | 53°F (12°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 3.0" | 14.6 | 0.0 |
| December | 40°F (4°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 2.3" | 26.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 2.2"
8.4 days with precipitation
February 2.0"
8.5 days with precipitation
March 2.7"
10.5 days with precipitation
April 3.9"
10.6 days with precipitation
May 4.5"
13.0 days with precipitation
June 4.2"
10.5 days with precipitation
July 3.7"
9.4 days with precipitation
August 3.3"
9.0 days with precipitation
September 3.1"
7.4 days with precipitation
October 3.4"
10.1 days with precipitation
November 3.0"
8.4 days with precipitation
December 2.3"
9.6 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 19
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 19
50% probability date
Growing Season
183 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
5,632
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
941
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Athens's climate means for you
Athens runs 52°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 183 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 19 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 5,632 heating and 941 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Athens, IL
An annual average temperature of 52°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 63°F to a mean daily low of 42°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Athens, Illinois. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USC00110306 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Athens receives roughly 38.4 inches of precipitation each year, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 183 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 19 and the first fall freeze near October 19. For energy use, 5,632 heating degree days and 941 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Athens scores 68/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows in the monthly tables above, summer brings July-driven heat, and winter brings January-driven cold - use that rhythm for planning. These figures are thirty-year averages rather than forecasts, so a specific year may still run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than what's shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Athens, IL? ▼
The average annual temperature in Athens, Illinois is 52°F. The warmest month averages 85°F (29°C) and the coldest averages 18°F (-8°C).
How much rain does Athens get? ▼
Athens receives 38.4 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Athens? ▼
Athens has a climate comfort score of 68/100 (Good), milder than 58% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Athens? ▼
Athens has approximately 183 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 19 and the first fall freeze around October 19.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Athens? ▼
Athens has 5,632 heating degree days and 941 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Athens climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00110306 near Athens.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00110306. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.