Big Rapids, MI climate
Big Rapids has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 61 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Big Rapids feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Big Rapids 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 | 29° | 14° | 2.4" | 17.8" | 17 | 26 | 11° – 31° |
| February | 32° | 14° | 1.9" | 16.0" | 13 | 23 | 9° – 32° |
| March | 42° | 21° | 2.4" | 7.7" | 12 | 11 | 21° – 46° |
| April | 56° | 32° | 3.8" | 1.5" | 14 | 1 | 35° – 50° |
| May | 68° | 43° | 3.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 48° – 62° |
| June | 78° | 52° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| July | 82° | 56° | 3.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 63° – 74° |
| August | 79° | 55° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 61° – 72° |
| September | 72° | 47° | 2.9" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| October | 59° | 37° | 3.8" | 0.2" | 15 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 45° | 29° | 3.0" | 3.8" | 14 | 4 | 29° – 44° |
| December | 34° | 20° | 2.3" | 14.3" | 15 | 18 | 18° – 36° |
| Year | 56° | 35° | 36.3" | 61.3" | 155 | 84 |
“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 Big Rapids
Big Rapids gets 36 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 155 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 84 days of the year.
About 142 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 13 and the first one by October 2. That leaves about 142 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 88% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Big Rapids
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Big Rapids, 95% of that work is heating and 5% 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.
Big Rapids and its neighbors
Big Rapids borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.8°. Colfax has the coldest January nights (13°) and Mecosta the hottest July afternoons (82°). Big Rapids’s January low is 14° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Big Rapids 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 Big Rapids averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.6°). The shift is larger than in 52% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Big Rapids’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 21° to 46°. June is the most reliable, staying within 11°.
Common questions about Big Rapids’s climate
What is the coldest month in Big Rapids?
January, with a typical high of 29° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Big Rapids?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 56°. About 8 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Big Rapids get?
About 61 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Big Rapids?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 2, and the last spring frost by May 13.
What is the rainiest month in Big Rapids?
October, with 3.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 36 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Big Rapids itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Big Rapids Wtp, MI (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.