Sterling weather in July

In July, Sterling sees average daytime highs of 83°F and overnight lows near 65°F, with 3.7 in of rain across 10.1 wet days and about 14.7 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 83°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in July, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 15 hours at the start of July to 14 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, July is Sterling's 3rd-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sterling's year-round climate.

Daytime high
83°
1st warmest
Overnight low
65°
12th coldest
Rainfall
3.7 in
10.1 wet days
Daylight
14 h 48 min
4:42 AM – 7:27 PM
Cloud cover
53%
3rd clearest
Wind
7 mph
11th windiest
Solar energy
6.31 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.0
out of 10

Sterling is city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States.

Density
978/km²
people per km²
Founded
1838

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in July

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 83°F through the month.

A typical July day in Sterling reaches about 83°F in the afternoon and slips back to 65°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 75°F and 90°F. Set against its neighbours, July runs about 3°F warmer than June and about 2°F warmer than August.

50°60°70°80°90°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18265
28265
38265
48265
58365
68365
78365
88365
98365
108365
118366
128366
138366
148366
158366
168366
178366
188366
198366
208366
218366
228366
238366
248366
258365
268365
278365
288365
298265
308265
318265

How July really feels in Sterling

Once humidity and wind are folded in, July averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

July sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Sterling weather by month

How July compares with the rest of the year at a glance. July is the 1st-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 15°1.97.65.19.30.0
Feb35° / 19°1.96.74.210.30.0
Mar48° / 30°2.69.42.411.71.7
Apr60° / 41°4.311.50.813.14.6
May71° / 52°4.713.2014.36.0
Jun80° / 62°4.5120156.3
Jul83° / 65°3.710.1014.76.0
Aug81° / 63°3.39.1013.76.7
Sep75° / 55°3.48.3012.37.1
Oct62° / 43°2.98.50.210.95.5
Nov47° / 32°2.57.71.39.61.7
Dec35° / 22°2.27.5490.0

Cloud cover in July

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in July.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of July, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 43%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15743
25842
35842
45842
55842
65842
75941
85941
95842
105842
115842
125842
135743
145743
155743
165644
175644
185644
195644
205644
215743
225743
235743
245743
255743
265743
275842
285743
295842
305842
315941

Chance of precipitation in July

Any precipitation

Sterling gets around 3.7 in of rain over 10.1 wet days in July. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 33% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
134
234
334
434
533
633
733
833
933
1033
1133
1233
1333
1434
1534
1634
1734
1834
1934
2034
2134
2234
2334
2433
2533
2633
2732
2832
2931
3031
3130

Humidity in July

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of July feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, July lands in the muggy band about 29% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 48% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
114192528141
213192528141
313192528151
412182528151
512182628151
612182629151
711182629151
811172630151
910172630161
109172631161
119162631161
128162631171
138162632172
147162632182
157162631182
167162631182
177162631192
186162631192
196162530202
206162530202
217162529202
227172529212
237172528212
247182528202
257182528202
267192527202
277202527192
288202527182
298212527181
308212527171
318222527171

Wind in July

Winds average 7 mph in July.

Across July, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in July

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 15 hours at the start of July to 14 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 42 minutes over July. Sunrise moves from 4:32 AM to 4:55 AM, and sunset from 7:32 PM to 7:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
115.04:327:32
215.04:337:32
315.04:337:32
415.04:347:32
515.04:347:32
614.94:357:31
714.94:357:31
814.94:367:31
914.94:377:30
1014.94:377:30
1114.94:387:30
1214.84:397:29
1314.84:397:29
1414.84:407:28
1514.84:417:28
1614.84:427:27
1714.74:437:26
1814.74:437:26
1914.74:447:25
2014.74:457:24
2114.64:467:24
2214.64:477:23
2314.64:487:22
2414.54:497:21
2514.54:507:20
2614.54:517:19
2714.44:517:18
2814.44:527:17
2914.44:537:16
3014.44:547:15
3114.34:557:14

Solar energy in July

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in July, about 6.31 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.71 kWh/m² to a high of 6.34 kWh/m² in June across the year — July's 6.31 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.5Intense
26.5Intense
36.5Intense
46.5Intense
56.5Intense
66.5Intense
76.5Intense
86.4Intense
96.4Intense
106.4Intense
116.4Intense
126.4Intense
136.4Intense
146.3Intense
156.3Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.2Intense
206.2Intense
216.2Intense
226.2Intense
236.2Intense
246.2Intense
256.2Intense
266.1Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in July

Is July a good time to visit Sterling?

Our two travel scores rate July for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.0
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
6.9
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

July is a reasonable time to visit Sterling for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Sterling in July

From July's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In July, Sterling sees daytime highs around 83°F and nights near 65°F. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

UV index in Sterling in July

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in July peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Sterling peaks around June 18 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 18UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Sterling in July

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where July falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Sterling is worst in July — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodJul 1915 µg/m³Oct 227 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr11Good
May13Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Sterling?

Sterling sits at 41.8°N, 89.7°W, 659 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Dixon, 12 mi away.

Topography around Sterling

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Sterling.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Sterling has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 121 ft around an average of 656 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 295 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 830 ft.

The land around Sterling is covered by trees (28%) and artificial surfaces (28%) within 2 miles, cropland (81%) within 10 miles, and cropland (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
121 ft
10 miles
295 ft
50 miles
830 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
July weather nearby: Dixon 12 mi · Clinton 25 mi · Freeport 35 mi · East Moline 43 mi · Rockford 45 mi · Bettendorf 46 mi · Moline 47 mi · Davenport 49 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Sterling (41.7886°, -89.6962°, elevation 659 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).