Climate Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 48°F annual avg 2 stations
Oelwein, IA Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 48°F
- Avg annual temp
- 59/100
- Comfort score
- 35.4"
- Annual precip
- 169d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 2 weather stations (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Oelwein
Oelwein, Iowa averages 48°F a year and scores 59/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 39% of U.S. cities.
- 48°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 59/100
- comfort score, milder than 39% of U.S. cities
- 35.4"
- annual precipitation · 39" snow
- 169 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
48°F (9°C)
Avg High
58°F
Avg Low
37°F
Annual Precip
35.4"
Annual Snow
39.3"
Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
48°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
35.4"
Plus 39.3" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Oelwein) 59.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Oelwein area.
How Oelwein compares to every U.S. city
Oelwein's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
59 Top 61% higher than 39% 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 Oelwein
MethodologyOelwein's NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits inside a longer story: U.S. land temperatures have been tracking (and drifting from) the global mean since 1900, and the chart below shows that spread, with the most recent decade running 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 | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27°F (-3°C) | 9°F (-13°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 1.1" | 8.7" | 30.5 | 0.0 |
| February | 31°F (-1°C) | 12°F (-11°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 1.1" | 10.9" | 27.5 | 0.0 |
| March | 45°F (7°C) | 24°F (-4°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 1.9" | 4.4" | 24.7 | 0.0 |
| April | 59°F (15°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 3.5" | 2.2" | 11.7 | 0.0 |
| May | 71°F (22°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 60°F (15°C) | 4.2" | 0.1" | 0.8 | 1.0 |
| June | 81°F (27°C) | 60°F (15°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 5.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.2 |
| July | 83°F (28°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 5.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.4 |
| August | 81°F (27°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 3.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| September | 76°F (24°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 3.4" | 0.0" | 0.4 | 1.2 |
| October | 63°F (17°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 2.6" | 0.3" | 8.7 | 0.0 |
| November | 46°F (8°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 1.6" | 1.8" | 22.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 33°F (0°C) | 16°F (-9°C) | 24°F (-4°C) | 1.4" | 10.9" | 29.7 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 1.1"
Snow: 8.7"
6.9 days with precipitation
February 1.1"
Snow: 10.9"
6.0 days with precipitation
March 1.9"
Snow: 4.4"
8.3 days with precipitation
April 3.5"
Snow: 2.2"
10.0 days with precipitation
May 4.2"
Snow: 0.1"
12.3 days with precipitation
June 5.4"
12.4 days with precipitation
July 5.3"
8.6 days with precipitation
August 3.9"
9.6 days with precipitation
September 3.4"
8.7 days with precipitation
October 2.6"
Snow: 0.3"
8.4 days with precipitation
November 1.6"
Snow: 1.8"
6.4 days with precipitation
December 1.4"
Snow: 10.9"
7.9 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 13
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 27
50% probability date
Growing Season
169 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
7,063
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
777
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Oelwein's climate means for you
Oelwein runs 48°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 169 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 27 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 7,063 heating and 777 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: Oelwein, IA
Oelwein, Iowa runs an annual average of 48°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 58°F to a mean daily low of 37°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Drawn from 2 weather stations, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Beyond temperature, Oelwein averages 35.4 inches of precipitation annually, with 39.3 inches typically falling as snow - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 169 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 27 and the first fall freeze near October 13. Turning to energy use, 7,063 heating degree days and 777 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Oelwein scores 59/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. For planning purposes, look to the monthly tables above: shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows, summer brings July-driven heat, and deep winter brings January-driven cold. Treat every figure here as a thirty-year average rather than a forecast - individual years routinely run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Oelwein, IA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Oelwein, Iowa is 48°F. The warmest month averages 83°F (28°C) and the coldest averages 9°F (-13°C).
How much rain does Oelwein get? ▼
Oelwein receives 35.4 inches of precipitation annually, including 39.3 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Oelwein? ▼
Oelwein has a climate comfort score of 59/100 (Moderate), milder than 39% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Oelwein? ▼
Oelwein has approximately 169 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 27 and the first fall freeze around October 13.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Oelwein? ▼
Oelwein has 7,063 heating degree days and 777 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 Oelwein climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from 2 weather stations near Oelwein.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00136199. 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.