Perkins House · Photo: rossograph · CC BY-SA 4.0Precipitation in De Kalb tops that of 93% of U.S. towns: 54 inches a year
July afternoons average 91°. The wettest month is April; the driest is October. Summer afternoons here are warmer than in 82% of U.S. towns. Central heating does most of its work from December to February, in months below 50° on average.
A year in De Kalb at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about De Kalb’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with De Kalb’s place in Mississippi beside it.
What a year in De Kalb feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 245 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 14 and the first by November 12. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Meridian Naas, MS, 16 miles from the town’s center, 160 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts De Kalb’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 16°. 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 54 inches of rain a year
April is the wettest month and October the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in De Kalb
46% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55° run from November through February.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Meridian Naas, MS.
Living with De Kalb’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
245 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Mar 14 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 12.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, October and November.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in De Kalb from natural hazards, tornadoes are the largest share (25%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 23%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →De Kalb and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around De Kalb 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 De Kalb averaged 0.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.2°).
A smaller shift than in 98% 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 De Kalb compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with De Kalb’s place among Mississippi’s.
De Kalb weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at De Kalb’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56° | 34° | 5.4" | 37° – 53° |
| February | 61° | 38° | 5.3" | 40° – 58° |
| March | 68° | 44° | 5.3" | 50° – 65° |
| April | 76° | 51° | 5.5" | 59° – 68° |
| May | 83° | 60° | 3.9" | 68° – 75° |
| June | 89° | 67° | 4.1" | 75° – 82° |
| July | 91° | 70° | 4.4" | 77° – 83° |
| August | 91° | 69° | 4.0" | 75° – 84° |
| September | 86° | 63° | 3.6" | 72° – 81° |
| October | 77° | 52° | 3.6" | 60° – 70° |
| November | 66° | 41° | 4.0" | 48° – 58° |
| December | 58° | 36° | 5.4" | 37° – 56° |
| Year | 75° | 52° | 54.4" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 37° to 56°. July is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where De Kalb’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 De Kalb’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Meridian Naas, MS, 16 miles from the town’s center, 160 ft lower; 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 De Kalb’s climate
What is the weather like in De Kalb?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 34°. Milder January nights than 79% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 82% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in De Kalb in winter?
January nights average 34°. About 44 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 37°.
How hot does it get in De Kalb?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 70°. About 85 days a year reach 90° and 2 reach 100° (Meridian Naas, MS).
When is the first and last frost in De Kalb?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 14 and the first fall frost by November 12, about 245 frost-free days, at Meridian Naas, MS.
What growing zone is De Kalb in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 16°.
What is the best time of year to visit De Kalb?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is De Kalb getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 98% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in De Kalb.
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.