Bark River, MI climate
Bark River has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 70 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade9° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 71°, and a typical Oct 1 in Bark River peaks around 63°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Bark River feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Bark River 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26° | 9° | 1.4" | 18.1" | 13 | 6° – 26° |
| February | 29° | 9° | 1.1" | 11.0" | 9 | 7° – 31° |
| March | 39° | 18° | 1.7" | 12.1" | 10 | 19° – 41° |
| April | 52° | 29° | 2.6" | 7.7" | 12 | 33° – 47° |
| May | 65° | 39° | 3.2" | 0.2" | 13 | 46° – 59° |
| June | 75° | 50° | 3.3" | 0 | 11 | 59° – 67° |
| July | 80° | 55° | 3.4" | 0 | 12 | 61° – 72° |
| August | 78° | 54° | 2.9" | 0 | 10 | 62° – 70° |
| September | 70° | 47° | 3.4" | 0 | 11 | 53° – 63° |
| October | 56° | 36° | 3.3" | 0.7" | 12 | 41° – 52° |
| November | 42° | 26° | 2.2" | 7.4" | 11 | 26° – 42° |
| December | 31° | 15° | 1.7" | 13.0" | 11 | 14° – 33° |
| Year | 54° | 32° | 30.2" | 70.2" | 135 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Bark River
Bark River gets 30 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 135 days a year.
About 133 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 19 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 133 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 93% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Bark River
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Bark River, 96% of that work is heating and 4% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
Bark River and its neighbors
Bark River borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 3.3°. Harris has both the coldest January nights (8°) and the hottest July afternoons (81°). Bark River’s January low is 9° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Bark River compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Bark River averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.7°). The shift is larger than in 81% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Bark River’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 7° to 31°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Bark River’s climate
What is the coldest month in Bark River?
January, with a typical high of 26° and a low of 9°.
What is the hottest month in Bark River?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 55°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Bark River get?
About 70 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Bark River?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 19.
What is the rainiest month in Bark River?
July, with 3.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 30 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Bark River itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Spalding 1 Nw, MI (11 mi, snow) and Cornell 5se, MI (10 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.