Last updated: May 6, 2024
Under the Köppen–Geiger climate classification Ames features a humid continental climate (Dfa).Temperatures typically range between -6 °C (21 °F) and 25 °C (77 °F) through the year, but rarely can drop to -31 °C (-23 °F) or can rise to as high as 38 °C (100 °F).The average annual precipitation amounts to about 973 mm (38.3 inches) and receives 109 rainy days on the 1 mm (0.04 inches) threshold annually.Ames enjoys an average of 3004 hours of sunshine throughout the year, and daylight varies from 9 hours 10 minutes to 15 hours 9 minutes per day.
The warmest months in Ames are June, July and August, with daily mean temperatures ranging from 23 to 25 °C (73 - 77 °F) throughout the day. The coldest temperatures usually occur in January, February and December, when daily mean temperatures range from -6 to -1 °C (21 - 30 °F) throughout the day. On average each year, Ames experiences 95 days above 25 °C (77.0 °F) and 126 days below 0 °C (32.0 °F).
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum | 14°C (57°F) | 21°C (70°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 30°C (86°F) | 36°C (96°F) | 38°C (100°F) | 35°C (96°F) | 37°C (99°F) | 34°C (93°F) | 31°C (89°F) | 25°C (77°F) | 22°C (72°F) |
Mean maximum | 10°C (50°F) | 14°C (57°F) | 20°C (69°F) | 26°C (80°F) | 32°C (90°F) | 34°C (93°F) | 34°C (94°F) | 33°C (92°F) | 32°C (91°F) | 30°C (86°F) | 19°C (66°F) | 16°C (62°F) |
Average high | -2°C (29°F) | -1°C (31°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 15°C (59°F) | 22°C (71°F) | 28°C (83°F) | 29°C (85°F) | 28°C (83°F) | 25°C (78°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 8°C (47°F) | 4°C (39°F) |
Daily mean | -6°C (21°F) | -6°C (22°F) | 3°C (39°F) | 9°C (49°F) | 17°C (62°F) | 23°C (74°F) | 25°C (77°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 20°C (68°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 3°C (38°F) | -1°C (30°F) |
Average low | -10°C (14°F) | -10°C (13°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 12°C (53°F) | 18°C (64°F) | 19°C (67°F) | 17°C (64°F) | 14°C (58°F) | 6°C (43°F) | -2°C (29°F) | -6°C (22°F) |
Mean minimum | -25°C (-12°F) | -24°C (-11°F) | -13°C (9°F) | -7°C (20°F) | 3°C (39°F) | 12°C (53°F) | 14°C (58°F) | 12°C (53°F) | 6°C (44°F) | -3°C (26°F) | -12°C (11°F) | -16°C (4°F) |
Minimum | -31°C (-23°F) | -31°C (-23°F) | -21°C (-6°F) | -11°C (13°F) | 0°C (32°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 13°C (56°F) | 10°C (51°F) | 3°C (38°F) | -7°C (20°F) | -20°C (-4°F) | -23°C (-8°F) |
Compare temperature, precipitation, sunshine, UV index in Ames, Iowa, United States with other places around the world.
Ames usually has the most precipitation in May, September and October, with an average of 12 rainy days and 136 mm (5.4 inches) of precipitation per month.The driest months in Ames are January, November and December. On average, 38 mm (1.5 inches) of precipitation falls during these months.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 36 (1.4) | 42 (1.7) | 77 (3.0) | 79 (3.1) | 158 (6.2) | 102 (4.0) | 78 (3.1) | 72 (2.8) | 121 (4.8) | 130 (5.1) | 41 (1.6) | 36 (1.4) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 6 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 5 |
The sunniest months in Ames are June, July and August, when the sun shines an average of 11 hours 19 minutes a day.Least sunny months in Ames: January, February and November receive an average of 5 hours 55 minutes of sunshine daily.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 137 | 188 | 221 | 252 | 255 | 342 | 370 | 328 | 271 | 221 | 206 | 208 |
Mean daily daylight hours | 9h 30m | 10h 35m | 11h 58m | 13h 22m | 14h 34m | 15h 9m | 14h 50m | 13h 46m | 12h 25m | 11h 1m | 9h 47m | 9h 10m |
Ames experiences the highest level of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in June, July and August, when the maximum UV index can reach values of 9 - 11, which corresponds to the Very High / Extreme category of sun exposure.January, November and December are in the Moderate exposure category. In these months, the maximum values of the UV index do not exceed 4. For more detailed information, check out our hourly Ames UV Index data.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UV Index (month maximum) | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 |