Climate Comfort Score
64/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals Station-mapped location · no exact Census place match 52°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Harlan County Lake, NE Climate: Temperature & Rain by Month
Annual temperature, rainfall, and a comfort score, sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 normals →
- 52°F
- Avg annual temp
- 64/100
- Comfort score
- 24.7"
- Annual precip
- 172d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals (1991-2020) from Harlan County Lake's primary NOAA station, HARLAN CO LAKE.
The climate verdict for Harlan County Lake
Harlan County Lake, Nebraska has a mixed annual climate rather than one dominant extreme. Its NOAA normal shows an annual average of 52°F. Its composite comfort score of 64/100 (good) lands mid-pack nationally, milder than 49% of station-mapped locations and harsher than the rest.
- 52°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 64/100
- comfort score, milder than 49% of station-mapped locations
- 24.7"
- annual precipitation · 15" snow
- 172 days
- frost-free growing season
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
65°F
Avg Low
39°F
Annual Precip
24.7"
Annual Snow
15.3"
Comfort Score
64/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
52°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
24.7"
Plus 15.3" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Harlan County Lake) 64.0%
National median (64)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Harlan County Lake area.
How Harlan County Lake compares with its closest stations
Against the 6 closest stations in the record, Harlan County Lake averages 52°F a year, warmer than Franklin, NE (51°F) and Holdrege, NE (50°F), and cooler than Phillipsburg, KS (53°F). On comfort score it places 1 of 7 in that local group.
Corpus-relative placement
Where Harlan County Lake sits across the climate record
These comparisons place this primary-station normal among station-mapped locations with the same NOAA 1991–2020 fields.
- Annual temperature
- Warmer than 50%
- of 6,861 measured location normals.
- Annual precipitation
- Wetter than 34%
- of 6,352 measured location normals.
- Seasonal temperature swing
- Larger than 84%
- of 6,861 complete location-year normals.
How Harlan County Lake compares across U.S. station-mapped locations
Harlan County Lake's comfort score vs. all station-mapped locations
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
64 49th percentile milder than 49% of 6,189 station-mapped locations
- 0–10: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 10–20: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 20–30: 96 station-mapped locations (2%). Below this entry.
- 30–40: 280 station-mapped locations (5%). Below this entry.
- 40–50: 1,113 station-mapped locations (18%). Below this entry.
- 50–60: 1,329 station-mapped locations (21%). Below this entry.
- 60–70: 1,236 station-mapped locations (20%). This entry sits in this band.
- 70–80: 650 station-mapped locations (11%). Above this entry.
- 80–90: 921 station-mapped locations (15%). Above this entry.
- 90–100: 564 station-mapped locations (9%). Above this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Harlan County Lake's measured station temperature trend
MethodologyAcross 48 complete annual observations from 1954 to 2025, HARLAN CO LAKE warmed at a fitted rate of 0.13°C per decade. The line shows the fitted change relative to its first year, not raw year-to-year temperatures or a forecast.
- Harlan County Lake primary station fitted change +0.13 °C/decade
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39°F (4°C) | 14°F (-10°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 0.4" | 3.5" | 30.7 | 0.0 |
| February | 44°F (7°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 31°F (-1°C) | 0.5" | 4.2" | 27.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 56°F (13°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 1.3" | 1.8" | 22.9 | 0.0 |
| April | 65°F (18°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 2.4" | 0.6" | 9.4 | 0.2 |
| May | 74°F (23°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 4.1" | 0.0" | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| June | 85°F (29°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 3.6" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 8.3 |
| July | 90°F (32°C) | 65°F (19°C) | 78°F (25°C) | 4.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 15.8 |
| August | 88°F (31°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 3.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 12.2 |
| September | 81°F (27°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 1.6" | 0.0" | 0.2 | 6.0 |
| October | 68°F (20°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 1.9" | 1.3" | 7.7 | 0.6 |
| November | 54°F (12°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 40°F (5°C) | 0.8" | 1.6" | 23.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 42°F (5°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 0.8" | 2.3" | 30.4 | 0.0 |
The year, day by day
Harlan County Lake works both ends of the calendar. Normal highs climb to 90°F by July 14 and hold at or above 90°F on 20 dates, then normal lows drop to freezing or below on 151 dates, bottoming at 14°F around January 16.
When the heat sits
Normal highs reach 90°F from July 8 through July 27, covering 20 dates. The broader mild season, normal highs of 70°F or more, runs May 6 to October 11.
This counts calendar dates whose 1991–2020 normal high reaches 90°F. It is a smaller number than the 90°F+ day counts in the monthly table above, which measure how often the threshold was actually crossed in a typical year. A date can average 88°F and still exceed 90°F in half of all years.
The freezing stretch
The normal low stays at or below 32°F into March 30, then returns to freezing around November 1, covering 151 dates in all.
Derived from the normal daily minimum. This is a different measure from the 50%-probability frost dates shown elsewhere on this page, which come from NOAA’s frost product.
Where the wet dates fall
The likeliest wet date is May 26, when 34% of years recorded at least a hundredth of an inch. The driest is December 10 at 8%. Summed across the calendar, that is about 72 wet dates a year.
The widest day
October 18 carries the biggest normal gap between afternoon and dawn, 29°F between the normal high and the normal low.
Look up any date
Any date's 1991–2020 normal for Harlan County Lake.
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.4"
Snow: 3.5"
3.0 days with precipitation
February 0.5"
Snow: 4.2"
3.2 days with precipitation
March 1.3"
Snow: 1.8"
4.1 days with precipitation
April 2.4"
Snow: 0.6"
8.3 days with precipitation
May 4.1"
10.4 days with precipitation
June 3.6"
8.9 days with precipitation
July 4.0"
8.8 days with precipitation
August 3.2"
8.7 days with precipitation
September 1.6"
6.0 days with precipitation
October 1.9"
Snow: 1.3"
5.3 days with precipitation
November 0.8"
Snow: 1.6"
3.1 days with precipitation
December 0.8"
Snow: 2.3"
2.4 days with precipitation
Harlan County Lake runs a summer-peaked wet season
44% of Harlan County Lake's yearly precipitation falls in June, July and August alone, against the 25% an evenly spread year would give those three months. The wettest month is May at 4.1", on a wide 51.1°F gap between its warmest and coldest month. Warm-season convection and, across the Southwest, the North American monsoon produce this shape: rain arrives in short heavy bursts during the hottest part of the year rather than as long cool-season soaking.
- Wettest three months: May, July, June, taking 47% of the annual total between them.
- Driest month: January at 0.4".
- Winter share: 7% falls in December, January and February.
Shares are computed from this station's own 1991-2020 monthly precipitation normals. A summer-peaked label means the June-August share reaches 35%; it describes timing across an average year, not any single season, and says nothing about how heavy an individual storm can be.
How Harlan County Lake's precipitation splits across the calendar
About 72 days a year record measurable precipitation here, carrying 24.7" between them, or roughly 0.34 inches on a typical wet day. That sits in the middle band: neither the many-light-days pattern of the Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes, nor the few-heavy-events pattern of the Gulf and the desert Southwest.
Wet days a year
72
Wettest month by days
May
Driest month by days
December
A wet day is one recording at least 0.01 inches. These are 1991-2020 normals: they describe an average year and say nothing about the heaviest single storm on record.
Winter brings real snow to Harlan County Lake
Harlan County Lake averages 15.3 inches of snowfall a year, with February the snowiest month on the normals, spread across roughly 8 days that record measurable snow. That is depth accumulating on the ground, which is why it can exceed the annual precipitation figure: precipitation counts the liquid the snow melts down to, and fresh snow is mostly air.
- Annual snowfall: 15.3 inches of depth.
- Days recording measurable snow: about 8 a year.
- At a rough ten-to-one melt ratio, snow accounts for on the order of 6% of the year's precipitation.
NOAA 1991-2020 normals. The ten-to-one ratio is a convention, not a measurement: real ratios vary with temperature, so treat the share as an order of magnitude rather than an exact split.
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 14
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 25
50% probability date
Growing Season
172 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
5,788
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,181
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Places with a similar climate profile
NOAA 1991–2020 annual normals connect this location to non-geographic peers. Temperature peers use annual mean temperature; energy peers use both heating and cooling degree days.
Closest annual-temperature peers
What Harlan County Lake's climate means for you
Harlan County Lake runs 52°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners work an ordinary 172-day frost-free window; the last spring freeze usually lands near April 25, so start dates matter.
- Keeping warm is the dominant household load: 5,788 heating degree days against only 1,181 for cooling.
- See how Harlan County Lake lines up against the rest of Nebraska and the national rankings. See rankings
Climate Guides
Data-derived climate profile
How Harlan County Lake's climate pattern fits together
heating led · moderate · mid swing
Harlan County Lake's energy balance leans toward cold weather: 5,788 annual heating degree days against 1,181 for cooling. Its 51.1°F seasonal range still makes the monthly rows more useful than the annual average alone.
Harlan County Lake's frost-free season lasts about 172 days, a middle-length window whose endpoints matter more than the annual average. It describes freeze probability, not year-specific planting conditions.
July and January mark the typical warm and cold ends of the calendar in Harlan County Lake's middle-range seasonal profile. The measured spread is 51.1°F. The annual average is 52°F. Neither the annual mean nor one extreme month represents the full calendar on its own.
Harlan County Lake's 24.7 inches of annual precipitation falls in PlainClimate's middle band, so “wet” or “dry” is not the leading description. Annual snowfall totals 15.3 inches. Temperature balance and the calendar distribution carry more information than the annual moisture label alone.
These labels group NOAA 1991-2020 normals from Harlan County Lake's primary station, so the winter figures are a thirty-year average and not a floor: a single hard season can run well below them. They are descriptive ranges, not an official NOAA classification or a forecast for any specific year.
The year in four calendar signals
- Warmest normal
- July
- The month averages 78°F (25°C), a middling summer peak by national standards rather than an extreme one.
- Coldest normal
- January
- The monthly mean of 27°F (-3°C) sits near freezing, so cold nights and above-freezing afternoons share the same month.
- Rainfall rhythm
- May to January
- May is typically wettest; January is driest.
- Mild-temperature window
- May through September
- Monthly means sit between 55°F and 75°F in this window. Freezing days are still reported from January through December.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Harlan County Lake, NE? ▼
The average annual temperature in Harlan County Lake, Nebraska is 52°F. The warmest month averages 90°F (32°C) and the coldest averages 14°F (-10°C).
How much snow does Harlan County Lake get? ▼
Harlan County Lake averages 15.3 inches of snow a year, most of it in February, within 24.7 inches of total precipitation. Snowfall is depth on the ground; the precipitation total counts its liquid equivalent, so the two are not additive.
How many days above 90°F does Harlan County Lake get? ▼
Harlan County Lake averages about 45 days a year at or above 90°F, concentrated in July and the months either side of it. That is a count of days reaching the threshold, not a measure of how far above it they go.
What is the comfort score for Harlan County Lake? ▼
Harlan County Lake has a climate comfort score of 64/100 (Good), milder than 49% of station-mapped locations in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Harlan County Lake? ▼
Harlan County Lake has approximately 172 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 25 and the first fall freeze around October 14.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Harlan County Lake? ▼
Harlan County Lake has 5,788 heating degree days and 1,181 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 Harlan County Lake climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Figures on this page come from Harlan County Lake's primary NOAA station (HARLAN CO LAKE, USC00253595).
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). All figures on this page are from Harlan County Lake's primary station: HARLAN CO LAKE (USC00253595). For informational purposes only.
Place identity: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer places. The conservative exact name-and-state crosswalk finds no Census place match, so PlainClimate treats this as a station-mapped location and does not claim it is a municipality. The reproducible method is an exact normalized name-and-state match; unresolved is an upper bound on facilities because spelling variants can be missed.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.