Chatham, MI climate
Chatham has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 164 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade6° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 66°, and a typical Oct 1 in Chatham peaks around 60°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Chatham feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Chatham 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 | 25° | 9° | 2.6" | 45.6" | 20 | 30 | 5° – 26° |
| February | 28° | 9° | 1.6" | 29.7" | 14 | 28 | 5° – 30° |
| March | 37° | 17° | 1.7" | 18.6" | 12 | 26 | 16° – 39° |
| April | 49° | 28° | 2.8" | 11.8" | 11 | 8 | 31° – 46° |
| May | 63° | 39° | 3.2" | 0.6" | 13 | 0 | 45° – 56° |
| June | 73° | 49° | 3.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| July | 78° | 54° | 3.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 60° – 71° |
| August | 76° | 54° | 3.1" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| September | 68° | 47° | 3.8" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| October | 54° | 36° | 3.9" | 2.5" | 17 | 1 | 40° – 51° |
| November | 40° | 26° | 3.0" | 18.9" | 15 | 11 | 25° – 41° |
| December | 30° | 16° | 2.4" | 36.3" | 17 | 25 | 13° – 31° |
| Year | 52° | 32° | 35.2" | 164.0" | 172 | 129 |
“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 Chatham
Chatham gets 35 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 172 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 129 days of the year.
About 119 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 30 and the first one by September 27. That leaves about 119 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 97% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Chatham
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Chatham, 97% of that work is heating and 3% 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 Chatham 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 Chatham averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.3°). The shift is larger than in 66% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Chatham’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 5° to 30°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Chatham’s climate
What is the coldest month in Chatham?
February, with a typical high of 28° and a low of 9°.
What is the hottest month in Chatham?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 54°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Chatham get?
About 164 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Chatham?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 27, and the last spring frost by May 30.
What is the rainiest month in Chatham?
October, with 3.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 35 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Chatham itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Chatham Exp Farm 2, MI (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.