Carlton, MI climate
Carlton has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 68 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Carlton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Carlton 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 | 31° | 17° | 2.5" | 21.5" | 16 | 24 | 14° – 33° |
| February | 34° | 18° | 2.0" | 15.3" | 12 | 20 | 12° – 34° |
| March | 45° | 25° | 2.3" | 7.2" | 12 | 9 | 25° – 49° |
| April | 58° | 35° | 3.6" | 2.1" | 13 | 1 | 39° – 52° |
| May | 70° | 46° | 4.1" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 50° – 64° |
| June | 79° | 56° | 3.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| July | 83° | 60° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 65° – 77° |
| August | 80° | 58° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 75° |
| September | 74° | 51° | 3.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| October | 61° | 40° | 3.8" | 0.3" | 13 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| November | 47° | 31° | 2.9" | 5.4" | 13 | 3 | 31° – 47° |
| December | 36° | 23° | 2.3" | 16.2" | 15 | 15 | 18° – 39° |
| Year | 58° | 38° | 37.7" | 68.0" | 149 | 71 |
“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 Carlton
Carlton gets 38 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 149 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 71 days of the year.
About 158 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 3 and the first one by October 12. That leaves about 158 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 73% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Carlton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Carlton, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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.
Carlton and its neighbors
Carlton borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.3°. Woodland has the coldest January nights (16°) and Irving the hottest July afternoons (83°). Carlton’s January low is 17° and its July high 83°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Carlton 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 Carlton averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°). The shift is larger than in 58% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Carlton’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 25° to 49°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Carlton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Carlton?
January, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Carlton?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 60°. About 10 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Carlton get?
About 68 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Carlton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 12, and the last spring frost by May 3.
What is the rainiest month in Carlton?
May, with 4.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Carlton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Hastings, MI (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.