Lincoln sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for winter warmth
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 81°. Its July afternoons stay fresher than in 86% of U.S. towns. Compared with 1901–2000, the average now sits 1.4° higher. Tender plants can go out after about April 28; in half of years the first frost comes by October 14.
A year in Lincoln at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Lincoln’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Lincoln’s place in Wisconsin beside it.
What a year in Lincoln feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 168 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 28 and the first by October 14. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Alma Dam 4, WI, 9 miles from the town’s center, 410 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Lincoln’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −21°. 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 37 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Alma Dam 4, WI, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 36 inches a year; June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 115 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Lincoln
93% 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 Alma Dam 4, WI.
Living with Lincoln’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
168 frost-free days in zone 4b. The last frost comes by Apr 28 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 14.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Lincoln from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (46%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 24%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Lincoln and its neighbors
Gilmanton the hottest July afternoons (83°, 1° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Lincoln’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, WI | 7° | 81° | 36" | 37" |
| Algona, IA | 8° | 83° | 34" | 37" |
| Plattsburgh, NY | 9° | 81° | 35" | 50" |
| Colchester, VT | 10° | 81° | 38" | 50" |
| Worthington, MN | 6° | 83° | 30" | 45" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Lincoln averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.0°).
A bigger shift than in 52% 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 Lincoln compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Lincoln’s place among Wisconsin’s.
Lincoln weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Lincoln’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Alma Dam 4, WI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23° | 7° | 1.1" | 9.9" | 9 | 26 | 4° – 29° |
| February | 29° | 10° | 1.1" | 8.6" | 6 | 23 | 6° – 31° |
| March | 41° | 23° | 2.0" | 6.6" | 8 | 14 | 24° – 48° |
| April | 56° | 34° | 3.5" | 1.6" | 11 | 1 | 36° – 53° |
| May | 68° | 46° | 4.5" | 0.2" | 13 | 0 | 52° – 64° |
| June | 78° | 56° | 5.3" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| July | 81° | 61° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 65° – 77° |
| August | 79° | 59° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| September | 72° | 51° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 54° – 67° |
| October | 58° | 38° | 2.7" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 42° – 54° |
| November | 42° | 26° | 1.9" | 1.8" | 7 | 3 | 24° – 45° |
| December | 29° | 14° | 1.3" | 8.6" | 8 | 18 | 7° – 32° |
| Year | 55° | 35° | 36.0" | 37.4" | 115 | 86 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 4° to 29°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Lincoln’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 Lincoln’s center.
- Snow: Alma Dam 4, WI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Alma Dam 4, WI, 9 miles from the town’s center, 410 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 Lincoln’s climate
What is the weather like in Lincoln?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 37 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 96% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 86% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Lincoln in winter?
January nights average 7°. About 138 nights a year reach 32° or below and 19 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 4°.
How much snow does Lincoln get?
About 37 inches in a normal winter at Alma Dam 4, WI, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 86 days a year.
How hot does it get in Lincoln?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 61°. About 7 days a year reach 90° (Alma Dam 4, WI).
When is the first and last frost in Lincoln?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 28 and the first fall frost by October 14, about 168 frost-free days, at Alma Dam 4, WI.
What growing zone is Lincoln in?
Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −21°.
What is the best time of year to visit Lincoln?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Lincoln getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 52% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Lincoln.
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.