Cedar Rapids, Iowa Weather
Prairie lightning bugs rise. Day 77 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Cedar Rapids weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 4Light Drizzle38%0.02″88°59°—
- FridayJun 5Thunderstorm73%1.4″81°64°-7°
- SaturdayJun 6Heavy Showers61%0.01″85°64°+4°
- SundayJun 7Showers44%—84°68°-1°
- MondayJun 8Showers57%0.05″82°68°-2°
- TuesdayJun 9Thunderstorm40%—82°68°0°
- WednesdayJun 10Thunderstorm20%—92°73°+10°
Ozone at AQI 42. AQI down 29 over the last 6 hours — air quality is improving sharply. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~75%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion during the projected peak around 7 AM.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 42. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~75%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.
- Present
- AQI 42
- UV peak
- 3.3 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- overcast
- Projected peak
- AQI 9
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 5.3 µg/m³ (AQI 29) with a 0.91 fine-to-coarse ratio and 4 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.91
- 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).
A summer fog for fair, a winter fog for rain.
- Moonrise
- 4:43 AM
- Moonset
- 2:03 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Prairie lightning bugs rise
Cedar Rapids at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 9°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: April 28 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 4, 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 has placed Cedar Rapids in the Slight Risk category for severe thunderstorms tomorrow.
- TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
- TOMORROWSLGTSlight Risk
- DAY 3MRGLMarginal Risk
Scattered severe storms possible. A few tornadoes, hail, and damaging wind gusts possible.
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.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | — | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| May | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | — | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
July brings Cedar Rapids its warmest temperatures (~73°F mean) while January delivers the coldest (~20°F). Rainfall reaches its peak in June (5.6 inches) and drops to its lowest point in January (0.9 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20° | 0.9″ | 3 |
| February | 24° | 1.2″ | 3 |
| March | 37° | 2.0″ | 5 |
| April | 49° | 3.6″ | 7 |
| May | 60° | 4.3″ | 8 |
| June | 70° | 5.6″ | 9 |
| July | 73° | 4.4″ | 6 |
| August | 71° | 4.1″ | 6 |
| September | 63° | 3.4″ | 6 |
| October | 51° | 2.9″ | 5 |
| November | 37° | 2.0″ | 4 |
| December | 25° | 1.6″ | 4 |
Regional context
Located within a warm-summer humid continental climate region, Cedar Rapids shares similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions with other nearby cities in this climate zone.
Similar climates: Des Moines, IA, Davenport, IA, Iowa City, IA, Waterloo, IA, Sioux City, 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?
- Cedar Rapids typically sees its last spring frost around mid-April, with the first fall frost arriving around mid-November.
- What is the rainy season in Cedar Rapids?
- June brings the most rainfall with about 5.6 inches on average; the city receives roughly 36 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Cedar Rapids?
- July typically records the warmest temperatures, averaging about 73°F.
- What is the coldest month in Cedar Rapids?
- January typically brings the coldest temperatures, averaging about 20°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Cedar Rapids?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be planted around the last spring frost (mid-April); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) should wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Cedar Rapids get?
- Cedar Rapids experiences about 67 rainy days per year on average.
- What hardiness zone is Cedar Rapids?
- Cedar Rapids's USDA hardiness zone depends on its lowest average winter temperature; use the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
Cedar Rapids, Iowa experiences a warm-summer humid continental climate zone. January temperatures typically hover near 20°F while July averages 73°F — creating a 53°F seasonal swing.
Throughout the year, Cedar Rapids receives about 36 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 67 rainy days.
Geography shapes the weather patterns here through latitude (42.0°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation — factors that determine what grows in the area, when frost occurs, and daily weather conditions.