Bear Lake, MI climate
Bear Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 88 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Bear Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Bear Lake 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 | 26° | 12° | 2.2" | 25.8" | 19 | 30 | 8° – 29° |
| February | 30° | 12° | 1.6" | 18.9" | 14 | 28 | 6° – 31° |
| March | 40° | 19° | 1.9" | 10.8" | 12 | 22 | 19° – 44° |
| April | 53° | 30° | 3.2" | 4.2" | 12 | 4 | 33° – 48° |
| May | 67° | 41° | 3.3" | 0.1" | 14 | 0 | 46° – 60° |
| June | 76° | 51° | 3.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| July | 80° | 55° | 3.0" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 61° – 72° |
| August | 78° | 54° | 3.3" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| September | 70° | 47° | 3.4" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 52° – 63° |
| October | 57° | 37° | 3.9" | 1.4" | 17 | 1 | 42° – 53° |
| November | 43° | 28° | 2.8" | 6.9" | 16 | 8 | 28° – 43° |
| December | 32° | 19° | 2.3" | 20.2" | 17 | 23 | 15° – 35° |
| Year | 54° | 34° | 34.5" | 88.3" | 171 | 116 |
“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 Bear Lake
Bear Lake gets 34 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 171 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 116 days of the year.
About 124 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 23 and the first one by September 27. That leaves about 124 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 96% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Bear Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Bear Lake, 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.
Bear Lake and its neighbors
Bear Lake borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.9°. Frederic has the coldest January nights (11°) and Garfield the hottest July afternoons (81°). Bear Lake’s January low is 12° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Bear Lake 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 Bear Lake averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 92% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Bear Lake’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 6° to 31°. August is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Bear Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Bear Lake?
January, with a typical high of 26° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in Bear Lake?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 55°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Bear Lake get?
About 88 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Bear Lake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 27, and the last spring frost by May 23.
What is the rainiest month in Bear Lake?
October, with 3.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 34 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Bear Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Grayling, MI (10 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.