Carleton, MI climate
Carleton has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 45 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Carleton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Carleton 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 | 33° | 18° | 2.2" | 14.0" | 13 | 17 | 16° – 35° |
| February | 35° | 20° | 1.9" | 12.5" | 11 | 14 | 14° – 37° |
| March | 46° | 28° | 2.4" | 6.2" | 11 | 6 | 28° – 50° |
| April | 59° | 38° | 3.3" | 1.5" | 13 | 1 | 42° – 54° |
| May | 71° | 49° | 3.8" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 52° – 66° |
| June | 80° | 59° | 3.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| July | 84° | 63° | 3.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 68° – 79° |
| August | 82° | 61° | 3.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| September | 75° | 53° | 3.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| October | 63° | 43° | 2.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| November | 49° | 32° | 2.6" | 1.9" | 11 | 2 | 34° – 47° |
| December | 37° | 24° | 2.2" | 8.9" | 13 | 8 | 19° – 40° |
| Year | 60° | 41° | 34.3" | 45.0" | 136 | 47 |
“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 Carleton
Carleton gets 34 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 136 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 47 days of the year.
About 176 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 27 and the first one by October 20. That leaves about 176 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 53% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Carleton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Carleton, 90% of that work is heating and 10% 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.
How Carleton 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 Carleton averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.7°). The shift is larger than in 74% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Carleton’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 14° to 37°. September is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Carleton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Carleton?
January, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Carleton?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 63°. About 12 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Carleton get?
About 45 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Carleton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 20, and the last spring frost by April 27.
What is the rainiest month in Carleton?
May, with 3.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 34 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Carleton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Detroit Metro Airport, MI (12 mi, snow) and Carleton 2w, MI (2 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.