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Cedar Rapids, Iowa Weather

Great rains sometimes fall. Day 43 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Cedar Rapids weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Cedar Rapids, IA
Sunday, August 2 at 9:56 AM
73
°
Clear
Feels like
78°
Humidity
79%
Wind
4 mph
Sunrise
1:01 AM
Sunset
3:24 PM
Cedar Rapids, IA
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastCedar Rapids, IA: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 63 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 63°H 81°
Cedar Rapids, IA
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Mostly Clear
    —
    —
    81°64°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Clear
    —
    —
    86°63°+5°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Overcast
    34%
    —
    84°63°-2°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Heavy Showers
    74%
    1.1″
    81°66°-3°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    Overcast
    51%
    —
    82°62°+1°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Thunderstorm
    —
    —
    84°63°+2°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Drizzle
    —
    —
    92°68°+8°
Cedar Rapids, IA
Next 24 hours · Mild now
58°72°86°12p6p12a6anow 71°high 81°low 63°
Cedar Rapids, IA
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
NE
047° · veering 36°
Direction
NE
047°
Sustained
4
mph
Gust
8
mph
Peak 24h
31
avg 7 mph
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 7 mph · pk 31 mph @ 10:00a
010MPHB1B2B3B4-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 126SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze veering 36° from the ne.
Cedar Rapids, IA
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
987.1
+1.9 mb in 3h · rising · 29.15 inHg
Now
987.1
mb
3h
+1.9
mb
12h
+2.6
mb
24h
+3.9
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 983–987
9759809859909951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW987.2983.3987.2
The low is filling — pressure climbing out of storm territory.
Cedar Rapids, IA
Air quality
34
AQI
Good
→+4 in 6h

AQI 34 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±4 points). PM2.5 at 6.0 µg/m³ (AQI 33) with a 0.95 fine-to-coarse ratio and 4 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in stagnant air, not road dust.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
6.0μg/m³
PM 10Good
6μg/m³
NO₂Good
4μg/m³
OzoneGood
58μg/m³
UV IndexLow
1.6

What's driving it

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 6.0 µg/m³ (AQI 33) with a 0.95 fine-to-coarse ratio and 4 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in stagnant air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.95
Wind
calm
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
stagnant smoke

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³440
Cedar Rapids, IA
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
1%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
40.4mi
UNLIMITED
48 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
14:56 UTC · Cedar Rapids, IA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
14:56 UTC · Cedar Rapids, IA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Cedar Rapids, IA
Satellite · infrared · animated
Cedar Rapids, IA
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Cedar Rapids, IA
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
5:31 AM
Sunrise
1:01 AM
Daylight
14h 23m
Sunset
3:24 PM
Civil dusk
8:57 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Cedar Rapids, IA
The moon
Waning Gibbous
84% illuminated
Moonrise
9:51 PM
Moonset
10:12 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Cedar Rapids, IA
Microseason
Aug 1–5

Great rains sometimes fall

insect
Jan 159% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Cedar Rapids at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 12°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: April 28 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 52401, 52402, 52403, 52404, 52405, 52411

16-Day Forecast — Cedar Rapids

  1. Sun81°64°0%
  2. Mon86°63°0%
  3. Tue84°63°34%
  4. Wed81°66°74%
  5. Thu82°62°51%
  6. Fri84°63°7%
  7. Sat92°68°8%
  8. Sun94°76°17%
  9. Mon86°71°22%
  10. Tue85°68°25%
  11. Wed89°73°24%
  12. Thu94°72°25%
  13. Fri103°75°27%
  14. Sat79°65°37%
  15. Sun84°61°25%
  16. Mon81°65°29%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Live wind & temperature near Cedar Rapids

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of August 2, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — Cedar Rapids

SPC includes Cedar Rapids in the general thunderstorm area day after tomorrow — no severe risk, but storms are possible.

  • TODAYNONENo severe risk
  • TOMORROWNONENo severe risk
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.

Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.

Sun & seasons in Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids sits in Linn County, where the year’s longest day runs 15h 14m of daylight and its shortest just 9h 7m — a swing of +6h 7m between the June and December solstices. Clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Des Moines, the state’s largest city, lies about 103 miles to the WSW. The nearest town Cedar Rapids tracks is Iowa City, roughly 23 miles to the SSE.

Air quality in Cedar Rapids’s county has held roughly steady since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2024 (median AQI 44). See the full air-quality history for Cedar Rapids.

January 1–5: Winter settles deep on the plains.January 6–10: Arctic cold grips the heartland.January 11–15: Sunlight returns to the sloped terrain.January 16–20: Ring-necked pheasants call from cover.January 21–25: Deepest cold locks the prairie.January 26–31: Deep winter's pivot point.February 1–5: February's first breath.February 6–10: Subtle shifts in the light.February 11–15: Bald eagles concentrate on open water.February 16–20: Cold rebound before the final thaw.February 21–25: First killdeer return to thawed fields.February 26–28: Winter's veil grows thin.March 1–5: Ice withdraws from the land.March 6–10: Hibernators wake to open air.March 11–15: Spring arrives with fury and grace.March 16–20: Sandhill Cranes Rise from the Platte.March 21–25: Equinox — Night and Day Hold Balance.March 26–31: First Green Breaks Through Brown Earth.April 1–5: Thunder Voices Wake the Prairie.April 6–10: Cliff Swallows Return to Mud Nests.April 11–15: Wild Geese Wing North in Massive Flocks.April 16–20: Rainbows Follow Afternoon Storms.April 21–25: Prairie Sedges Push Through Wet Soil.April 26–30: Last Frost Retreats North.May 1–5: Wildflowers Erupt Across the Prairie.May 6–10: Grain Rains Feed the Growing Fields.May 11–15: Seedlings Rise From Frost-Free Soil.May 16–20: Roses Bloom Along the Shelter Rows.May 21–25: Summer Arrives Early in Wind and Heat.May 26–31: Frogs Begin Their Nightly Chorus.June 1–5: Prairie lightning bugs rise.June 6–10: Earthworms surface after rain.June 11–15: Toward the solstice glow.June 16–20: Lesser ripening, greater heat.June 21–25: Solstice—sun at zenith.June 26–30: Fireflies in the darkening oak.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the afternoon.July 6–10: Warm wind sweeps the tallgrass.July 11–15: Thunder builds every afternoon.July 16–20: Corn tassels and reaches peak.July 21–25: Dog days settle in haze.July 26–31: Katydid chorus erupts at dusk.August 1–5: Great rains sometimes fall.August 6–10: Autumn's edge approaches.August 11–15: Cool wind rises from the north.August 16–20: Late summer wind through tallgrass.August 21–25: Dew settles on the tallgrass.August 26–31: Monarchs gather on prairie.September 1–5: Corn tassels and heavy skies.September 6–10: Purple asters rise on the prairie.September 11–15: Hawks ride thermal currents south.September 16–20: Equinox brings balance to day.September 21–25: Thunder stills across the plains.September 26–30: Snow geese wheel through the flyway.October 1–5: Prairie enters dormancy slowly.October 6–10: Geese gather on autumn waters.October 11–15: First widespread freeze arrives.October 16–20: Oaks turn bronze and russet.October 21–25: Frost deepens through the night.October 26–31: Light rains fall on frozen ground.November 1–5: Tallgrass turns gold.November 6–10: North wind strips the oak.November 11–15: Frost locks the prairie.November 16–20: Open sky grows cold.November 21–25: First snow falls soft.November 26–30: Blizzard drives the herds.December 1–5: Deep winter takes hold.December 6–10: Sky closes cold, winter reigns.December 11–15: Darkness deepens, life retreats.December 16–20: Rivers turn to stone.December 21–25: Solstice — sun begins return.December 26–31: The year turns in silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · August 1–5

Great rains sometimes fall

Monsoon-like moisture pulses bring heavy downpours; flooding becomes a threat as prairie soils approach saturation from repeated storms.

Day 214 of 365 · Wedge 43 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
March——
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

In Cedar Rapids, July runs warmest near 73°F and January coldest around 20°F, while June is the wettest month (5.6 inches) and January the driest (0.9 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January20°0.9″3
February24°1.2″3
March37°2.0″5
April49°3.6″7
May60°4.3″8
June70°5.6″9
July73°4.4″6
August71°4.1″6
September63°3.4″6
October51°2.9″5
November37°2.0″4
December25°1.6″4

Regional context

Cedar Rapids swings from 20°F in January to 73°F in July (53°F) per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals; precipitation in Cedar Rapids runs about 35.9 inches on roughly 67 measurable days.

Precipitation in Cedar Rapids runs summer-dominant: June averages 5.6 inches across 8.5 days of warm-season storms, while January drops to 0.9 inches over 2.9 rainy days of drier cool air. That puts Cedar Rapids in a summer-convective cohort with places like Fairfax, IA, Hiawatha, IA and Marion, IA.

Around mid-April, Cedar Rapids sheds its freezing nights — kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips go into Cedar Rapids's beds. Heat-demanding starts go out a fortnight on in Cedar Rapids, after the soil warms and cold snaps clear. The season ends by mid-November in Cedar Rapids, once hard frosts set back in. A creek-bottom lot in Cedar Rapids can lag Cedar Rapids's last frost 7-10 days behind a south slope.

Similar climates: Fairfax, IA, Hiawatha, IA, Marion, IA, Bertram, IA, Ely, IA.

Naturalist notes

American robins typically begin their first nesting attempts in Cedar Rapids during late April as soil temperatures warm enough for earthworm activity.

Oak trees usually complete leaf-out by mid-May when nighttime temperatures consistently stay above 50°F.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Cedar Rapids?
In Cedar Rapids, expect the last spring frost near mid-April; Cedar Rapids's first autumn frost comes around mid-November.
What is the rainy season in Cedar Rapids?
June is the wettest month in Cedar Rapids, about 5.6 inches on average; the year totals roughly 36 inches.
What is the warmest month in Cedar Rapids?
July is Cedar Rapids's warmest month, averaging about 73°F.
What is the coldest month in Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids bottoms out in January, with a mean near 20°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Cedar Rapids?
Time tomatoes in Cedar Rapids for two weeks after mid-April; peas and greens start at Cedar Rapids's frost line.
How many rainy days does Cedar Rapids get?
Expect roughly 67 wet days a year in Cedar Rapids.
What hardiness zone is Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids's hardiness zone tracks its winter low; with January near 20°F, check the USDA ZIP map for the exact zone.
What is the 10-day forecast for Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Cedar Rapids?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Cedar Rapids in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Cedar Rapids?
Current conditions for Cedar Rapids and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Cedar Rapids forecast updated?
The Cedar Rapids forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Cedar Rapids?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Cedar Rapids are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Cedar Rapids?
The next few days in Cedar Rapids's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Cedar Rapids's warm-summer humid continental climate in Iowa pairs 20°F Januarys with 73°F Julys, 53°F apart across the seasons.

Across the year, Cedar Rapids collects about 36 inches of precipitation over roughly 67 days with measurable rain or snow.

At 42.0°N, Cedar Rapids's 53°F summer-to-winter swing sets when Cedar Rapids's gardens wake and when frost returns.

All cities in Iowa →

Des Moines, IA weather →

ZIP codes in Cedar Rapids

  • 52404
  • 52405
  • 52401
  • 52411
  • 52402
  • 52403
  • 52406
  • 52407
  • 52408
  • 52409
  • 52410
  • 52497
  • 52498
  • 52499

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.