Climate Comfort Score
64/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 45°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Waukon, IA Climate
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score
- 45°F
- Avg annual temp
- 64/100
- Comfort score
- 39.2"
- Annual precip
- 162d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Waukon
Waukon, Iowa averages 45°F a year and scores 64/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 51% of U.S. cities.
- 45°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 64/100
- comfort score, milder than 51% of U.S. cities
- 39.2"
- precipitation, annual total
- 162 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
45°F (7°C)
Avg High
55°F
Avg Low
36°F
Annual Precip
39.2"
Comfort Score
64/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
45°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
39.2"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Waukon) 64.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Waukon area.
How Waukon compares to every U.S. city
Waukon's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
64 Top 49% higher than 51% 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 Waukon
MethodologyZooming out from Waukon's own normal, the chart below shows how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has tracked the global mean since 1900 - the most recent decade sits warmer than the 30-year mean shown here.
- 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 | 24°F (-4°C) | 8°F (-13°C) | 16°F (-9°C) | 1.2" | 30.9 | 0.0 |
| February | 29°F (-2°C) | 12°F (-11°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 1.3" | 27.4 | 0.0 |
| March | 42°F (5°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 2.0" | 24.9 | 0.0 |
| April | 56°F (13°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 4.1" | 12.3 | 0.0 |
| May | 68°F (20°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 4.7" | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| June | 77°F (25°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 5.9" | 0.0 | 1.7 |
| July | 81°F (27°C) | 62°F (16°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 4.7" | 0.0 | 3.7 |
| August | 79°F (26°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 4.7" | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| September | 72°F (22°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 3.9" | 0.4 | 0.3 |
| October | 59°F (15°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 2.9" | 9.1 | 0.0 |
| November | 43°F (6°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 35°F (1°C) | 2.3" | 23.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 29°F (-1°C) | 15°F (-9°C) | 22°F (-5°C) | 1.6" | 30.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 1.2"
February 1.3"
March 2.0"
April 4.1"
May 4.7"
June 5.9"
July 4.7"
August 4.7"
September 3.9"
October 2.9"
November 2.3"
December 1.6"
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 11
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 2
50% probability date
Growing Season
162 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
7,658
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
570
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Waukon's climate means for you
Waukon runs 45°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 162 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 2 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 7,658 heating and 570 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: Waukon, IA
Waukon, Iowa runs an annual average of 45°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 55°F to a mean daily low of 36°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 USC00138755, 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 Waukon should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 39.2 inches, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 162 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 2 and the first fall freeze near October 11. And on the energy front, 7,658 heating degree days and 570 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Waukon scores 64/100 (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 Waukon, IA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Waukon, Iowa is 45°F. The warmest month averages 81°F (27°C) and the coldest averages 8°F (-13°C).
How much rain does Waukon get? ▼
Waukon receives 39.2 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Waukon? ▼
Waukon has a climate comfort score of 64/100 (Good), milder than 51% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Waukon? ▼
Waukon has approximately 162 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 2 and the first fall freeze around October 11.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Waukon? ▼
Waukon has 7,658 heating degree days and 570 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 Waukon climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00138755 near Waukon.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00138755. 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.