Climate Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 51°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Red Oak, IA Climate
Temperature, precipitation, and comfort score from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 51°F
- Avg annual temp
- 59/100
- Comfort score
- 37.2"
- Annual precip
- 172d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Red Oak
Red Oak, Iowa averages 51°F a year and scores 59/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 39% of U.S. cities.
- 51°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 59/100
- comfort score, milder than 39% of U.S. cities
- 37.2"
- annual precipitation · 27" snow
- 172 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
51°F (10°C)
Avg High
62°F
Avg Low
40°F
Annual Precip
37.2"
Annual Snow
27.4"
Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
51°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
37.2"
Plus 27.4" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Red Oak) 59.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Red Oak area.
How Red Oak compares to every U.S. city
Red Oak'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 Red Oak
MethodologyRed Oak'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 | 33°F (0°C) | 13°F (-11°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 0.9" | 7.3" | 30.0 | 0.0 |
| February | 38°F (3°C) | 16°F (-9°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 1.1" | 8.1" | 25.7 | 0.0 |
| March | 51°F (11°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 2.0" | 2.6" | 21.1 | 0.0 |
| April | 63°F (17°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 3.8" | 1.2" | 8.2 | 0.3 |
| May | 73°F (23°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 6.0" | 0.0" | 0.5 | 1.2 |
| June | 83°F (28°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 5.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 4.9 |
| July | 86°F (30°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 4.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 9.6 |
| August | 85°F (29°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 3.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 6.9 |
| September | 78°F (26°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 3.6" | 0.0" | 0.3 | 2.9 |
| October | 66°F (19°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 3.3" | 0.5" | 7.1 | 0.3 |
| November | 50°F (10°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 1.9" | 1.2" | 19.9 | 0.0 |
| December | 37°F (3°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 1.4" | 6.5" | 28.7 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.9"
Snow: 7.3"
5.4 days with precipitation
February 1.1"
Snow: 8.1"
6.6 days with precipitation
March 2.0"
Snow: 2.6"
8.0 days with precipitation
April 3.8"
Snow: 1.2"
10.9 days with precipitation
May 6.0"
13.5 days with precipitation
June 5.4"
11.0 days with precipitation
July 4.0"
9.5 days with precipitation
August 3.9"
8.9 days with precipitation
September 3.6"
8.0 days with precipitation
October 3.3"
Snow: 0.5"
8.0 days with precipitation
November 1.9"
Snow: 1.2"
6.3 days with precipitation
December 1.4"
Snow: 6.5"
6.3 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 13
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 24
50% probability date
Growing Season
172 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
6,205
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,057
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Red Oak's climate means for you
Red Oak runs 51°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 172 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 24 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 6,205 heating and 1,057 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: Red Oak, IA
Red Oak, Iowa runs an annual average of 51°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 62°F to a mean daily low of 40°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Drawn from station USC00136940, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Red Oak should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 37.2 inches, with 27.4 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 172 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 24 and the first fall freeze near October 13. And on the energy front, 6,205 heating degree days and 1,057 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Red Oak scores 59/100 (Moderate), 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 Red Oak, IA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Red Oak, Iowa is 51°F. The warmest month averages 86°F (30°C) and the coldest averages 13°F (-11°C).
How much rain does Red Oak get? ▼
Red Oak receives 37.2 inches of precipitation annually, including 27.4 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Red Oak? ▼
Red Oak 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 Red Oak? ▼
Red Oak has approximately 172 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 24 and the first fall freeze around October 13.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Red Oak? ▼
Red Oak has 6,205 heating degree days and 1,057 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 Red Oak climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00136940 near Red Oak.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00136940. 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.