Madison has chilly winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 28 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Madison at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Madison’s climate
Read from where Madison sits among Indiana’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Madison averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°).
A bigger shift than in 53% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
28 inches of snow, 39 of rain and melt
May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 127 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
What a year in Madison feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 178 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first by October 19.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Madison’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
178 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 23 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 19.
About 28" a winter over 11 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 38 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 88% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 18 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 84°.
The nicest months are May, June, August, September and October.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Madison and its neighbors
Jefferson has the coldest January nights next door (18°) and Jefferson the hottest July afternoons (84°). Tap a town to see its climate.
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.
How Madison compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Indiana.
Madison weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32° | 18° | 2.5" | 9.2" | 11 | 14 | 16° – 37° |
| February | 36° | 21° | 2.0" | 7.5" | 9 | 11 | 16° – 39° |
| March | 48° | 29° | 2.7" | 4.2" | 11 | 4 | 30° – 53° |
| April | 61° | 39° | 3.8" | 0.5" | 13 | 0 | 43° – 56° |
| May | 72° | 50° | 4.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 54° – 67° |
| June | 81° | 60° | 4.3" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| July | 84° | 63° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 79° |
| August | 82° | 61° | 3.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 67° – 77° |
| September | 76° | 53° | 3.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| October | 64° | 43° | 2.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| November | 50° | 33° | 3.0" | 1.2" | 10 | 2 | 34° – 48° |
| December | 38° | 24° | 2.4" | 5.5" | 11 | 8 | 17° – 41° |
| Year | 60° | 41° | 39.5" | 28.1" | 127 | 38 |
Heating and cooling a home in Madison
88% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 17° to 41°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Madison’s climate
What is the coldest month in Madison?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Madison?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 63°. About 18 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Madison get?
About 28 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Madison?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 19, and the last spring frost by April 23.
What is the rainiest month in Madison?
May, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 39 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Madison.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Madison itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Decatur 1 N, IN (8 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.