A middle-of-the-road climate: Littleton is close to most U.S. towns on every count
High summer brings afternoon highs near 86°. May is the wettest month here, with about 2.7 times the rain of January. In January, nights here are colder than in 72% of U.S. towns. Tender plants can go out after about April 16; in half of years the first frost comes by October 23.
A year in Littleton at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Littleton’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Littleton’s place in Illinois beside it.
What a year in Littleton feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 189 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 16 and the first by October 23. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Rushville, IL, 8 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Littleton’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −8°. 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 39 inches of rain a year
May is the wettest month and January the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Littleton
85% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Rushville, IL.
Living with Littleton’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
189 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by Apr 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 Oct 23.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June, September and October.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 27% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Littleton from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Littleton and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Littleton yet.
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 Littleton averaged 0.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.0°).
A smaller shift than in 96% 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 Littleton compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Littleton’s place among Illinois’.
Littleton weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Littleton’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34° | 18° | 1.8" | 18° – 38° |
| February | 39° | 22° | 1.9" | 17° – 41° |
| March | 51° | 31° | 2.5" | 33° – 54° |
| April | 64° | 41° | 3.9" | 44° – 59° |
| May | 74° | 52° | 5.0" | 58° – 72° |
| June | 83° | 62° | 4.8" | 69° – 76° |
| July | 86° | 65° | 4.0" | 70° – 81° |
| August | 84° | 63° | 3.7" | 68° – 79° |
| September | 78° | 55° | 3.8" | 61° – 72° |
| October | 65° | 43° | 3.1" | 49° – 59° |
| November | 51° | 33° | 2.7" | 34° – 50° |
| December | 39° | 23° | 2.0" | 16° – 39° |
| Year | 62° | 42° | 39.2" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 16° to 39°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Littleton’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 Littleton’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Rushville, IL, 8 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 Littleton’s climate
What is the weather like in Littleton?
A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 18°. Colder January nights than 72% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 52% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Littleton in winter?
January nights average 18°. About 121 nights a year reach 32° or below and 7 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 18°.
How hot does it get in Littleton?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 65°. About 21 days a year reach 90° (Rushville, IL).
When is the first and last frost in Littleton?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 16 and the first fall frost by October 23, about 189 frost-free days, at Rushville, IL.
What growing zone is Littleton in?
Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −8°.
What is the best time of year to visit Littleton?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, June, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Littleton getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 96% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Littleton.
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.