Cedar Rapids, IA Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Cedar Rapids
A 30°C spread between its warmest and coolest months puts Cedar Rapids among the more strongly seasonal places we cover. July averages 83°F (28°C) by day; January averages 29°F (-2°C), with nights at 14°F (-10°C).
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 83°F (28°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 29°F (-2°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 100°F (38°C) high · -32°F (-36°C) low
- Wettest month: June (10 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (12.4 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid continental
- Annual swing: 30°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 10°C
- Snow: about 18 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 4
- Average humidity: 70%
Temperatures through the year
Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 4 months, December through March. July is the warm end of the year, averaging 83°F (28°C) by day and 66°F (19°C) overnight. January sits at the other end of the year: 29°F (-2°C) by day, 14°F (-10°C) at night. Sunshine averages 8.8 hours a day over the year, peaking in July at 12.4 hours.
Rain, sun and snow
Precipitation concentrates in June - 4.7 inches (118 mm) on 10 days - and thins out by February. Snow falls on roughly 18 days a year, mostly October through April. Between the average July and the average January lie 30°C, a wider spread than 96% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 100°F (38°C) and bottoms at -32°F (-36°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
How Cedar Rapids compares
- Cedar Rapids sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 50°F (10°C) as an annual average, 38.3 inches (972 mm) of precipitation and 8.8 hours of sun a day.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 14° | 8 | 1.9 in | 5.6 h/day | 9.4 h | 26% | 77% |
| February | 33° | 15° | 6 | 1.5 in | 7.5 h/day | 10.5 h | 23% | 71% |
| March | 48° | 30° | 9 | 2.8 in | 7.9 h/day | 11.8 h | 29% | 67% |
| April | 59° | 39° | 11 | 3.8 in | 8.8 h/day | 13.3 h | 38% | 64% |
| May | 71° | 52° | 12 | 4.5 in | 10.0 h/day | 14.5 h | 40% | 69% |
| June | 81° | 63° | 10 | 4.7 in | 12.0 h/day | 15.2 h | 33% | 68% |
| July | 83° | 66° | 10 | 3.3 in | 12.4 h/day | 14.9 h | 33% | 75% |
| August | 81° | 64° | 10 | 3.6 in | 11.4 h/day | 13.9 h | 33% | 74% |
| September | 77° | 59° | 9 | 3.6 in | 10.0 h/day | 12.4 h | 29% | 71% |
| October | 62° | 46° | 10 | 3.7 in | 7.6 h/day | 11.0 h | 31% | 67% |
| November | 48° | 32° | 7 | 2.7 in | 6.7 h/day | 9.7 h | 24% | 70% |
| December | 37° | 23° | 7 | 2.2 in | 5.4 h/day | 9.1 h | 24% | 72% |
Cedar Rapids month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Cedar Rapids's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 5.6 h
- Daylight
- 9.4 h
- Snow
- 6 days
February
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 7.5 h
- Daylight
- 10.5 h
- Snow
- 3 days
March
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 7.9 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 2 days
April
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 8.8 h
- Daylight
- 13.3 h
- Snow
- 1 day
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.0 h
- Daylight
- 14.5 h
June
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 12.0 h
- Daylight
- 15.2 h
July
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 12.4 h
- Daylight
- 14.9 h
August
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.9 h
September
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 10.0 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 7.6 h
- Daylight
- 11.0 h
November
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 6.7 h
- Daylight
- 9.7 h
- Snow
- 1 day
December
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 5.4 h
- Daylight
- 9.1 h
- Snow
- 3 days
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Cedar Rapids
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Cedar Rapids stays on the cool side of mild, with daytime highs averaging 59°F (15°C) and nights around 40°F (5°C); rain falls on around 33 of the 90 days, plus about 4 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Cedar Rapids brings hot afternoons, with daytime highs averaging 82°F (28°C) and nights around 64°F (18°C); rain falls on around 30 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.9 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Through fall, Cedar Rapids is crisp but comfortable: 62°F (17°C) by day, 46°F (8°C) after dark, and expect showers on roughly 25 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Cedar Rapids runs to hard cold, with daytime highs averaging 33°F (1°C) and nights around 17°F (-8°C); expect showers on roughly 22 days across the season, plus about 12 snowy days. Wind sharpens cold like this considerably; pair the forecast winds with the wind speed converter to judge exposed conditions.
Climate questions, answered
Is Cedar Rapids humid?
Is Cedar Rapids cold in winter?
How hot does Cedar Rapids get in summer?
What should I wear in Cedar Rapids?
How sunny is Cedar Rapids?
When does Cedar Rapids drop below freezing?
Best time to visit Cedar Rapids
Aim for June to October if you get the choice: these are the warmest and brightest weeks of the year, and highs average 77°F (25°C) against roughly 10 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in June.
Pack for Cedar Rapids with light clothing for the warm months, a heavy insulated coat, hat and gloves for winter and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Even in July, lows of 66°F (19°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Cedar Rapids temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.