Photo: A.Davey from Portland, Oregon, EE UU · CC BY 2.0Elk River gets about 119 inches of snow a winter, more than all but 144 U.S. towns
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 83°. From frosty January to warm July, readings climb 60°. It is a dry place: less rain and snow fall here than on 76% of U.S. towns. Comfortable outdoor weather lasts from June to September, with highs of 72–83°.
A year in Elk River at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Elk River’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Elk River’s place in Idaho beside it.
What a year in Elk River feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 128 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 16 and the first by September 23. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Elk Rvr, ID, 0.1 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Elk River’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −5°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 119 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Headquarters, ID, falls mostly in January and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 35 inches a year; December is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 156 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Elk River
98% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Elk Rvr, ID.
Living with Elk River’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
128 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by May 16 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 23.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 0.1 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Elk River from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (45%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Elk River and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Elk River yet.
Climates most like Elk River’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk River, ID | 24° | 83° | 35" | 119" |
| Richmond Heights, OH | 21° | 82° | 41" | 114" |
| Allegan, MI | 18° | 83° | 39" | 109" |
| Brighton, NY | 18° | 81° | 35" | 102" |
| Erie, PA | 20° | 81° | 44" | 104" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Elk River averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.6°).
A smaller shift than in 71% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Elk River compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Elk River’s place among Idaho’s.
Elk River weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Elk River’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Headquarters, ID. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 36° | 24° | 4.8" | 32.8" | 19 | 31 | 24° – 34° |
| February | 41° | 24° | 3.6" | 16.6" | 16 | 27 | 26° – 39° |
| March | 48° | 29° | 3.3" | 16.5" | 17 | 23 | 33° – 46° |
| April | 56° | 33° | 3.0" | 4.2" | 14 | 7 | 39° – 52° |
| May | 66° | 40° | 2.9" | 0.8" | 13 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| June | 72° | 45° | 2.5" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 55° – 67° |
| July | 83° | 49° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 57° – 72° |
| August | 83° | 48° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| September | 73° | 42° | 1.3" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| October | 57° | 34° | 3.1" | 0.2" | 12 | 1 | 40° – 53° |
| November | 43° | 29° | 4.5" | 16.0" | 17 | 11 | 31° – 43° |
| December | 35° | 23° | 4.8" | 31.6" | 19 | 27 | 23° – 33° |
| Year | 58° | 35° | 35.4" | 118.7" | 156 | 127 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. July swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 57° to 72°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Elk River’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Elk River’s center.
- Snow: Headquarters, ID.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Elk Rvr, ID, 0.1 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Elk River’s climate
What is the weather like in Elk River?
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 119 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 59% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 74% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Elk River in winter?
December nights average 23°. About 202 nights a year reach 32° or below and 4 reach 0° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 23°.
How much snow does Elk River get?
About 119 inches in a normal winter at Headquarters, ID, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 127 days a year.
How hot does it get in Elk River?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 49°. About 15 days a year reach 90° (Elk Rvr, ID).
When is the first and last frost in Elk River?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 16 and the first fall frost by September 23, about 128 frost-free days, at Elk Rvr, ID.
What growing zone is Elk River in?
Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −5°.
What is the best time of year to visit Elk River?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Elk River getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 71% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Elk River.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.