Chocolay, MI climate
Chocolay has cold, snowy winters and cool summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 102 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Chocolay feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Chocolay 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° | 13° | 2.1" | 25.1" | 18 | 30 | 7° – 28° |
| February | 28° | 12° | 1.6" | 20.9" | 12 | 28 | 7° – 32° |
| March | 36° | 20° | 1.7" | 14.2" | 11 | 25 | 17° – 40° |
| April | 47° | 30° | 2.7" | 8.4" | 10 | 9 | 31° – 45° |
| May | 60° | 40° | 3.0" | 0.3" | 12 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| June | 70° | 50° | 3.3" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| July | 75° | 56° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 59° – 71° |
| August | 75° | 57° | 2.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| September | 67° | 50° | 3.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 53° – 63° |
| October | 54° | 39° | 3.6" | 0.9" | 15 | 1 | 41° – 52° |
| November | 41° | 29° | 2.6" | 11.1" | 13 | 9 | 26° – 43° |
| December | 30° | 19° | 2.2" | 21.1" | 14 | 23 | 15° – 33° |
| Year | 51° | 35° | 32.6" | 102.0" | 152 | 125 |
“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 Chocolay
Chocolay gets 33 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 152 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 125 days of the year.
About 164 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 8 and the first one by October 21. That leaves about 164 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 67% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Chocolay
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Chocolay, 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.
Chocolay and its neighbors
Chocolay borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 4.8°. Sands has the coldest January nights (8°) and West Branch the hottest July afternoons (78°). Chocolay’s January low is 13° and its July high 75°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Chocolay 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 Chocolay averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°). The shift is larger than in 74% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Chocolay’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 7° to 32°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Chocolay’s climate
What is the coldest month in Chocolay?
February, with a typical high of 28° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in Chocolay?
July, with a typical high of 75° and a low of 56°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Chocolay get?
About 102 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Chocolay?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 21, and the last spring frost by May 8.
What is the rainiest month in Chocolay?
October, with 3.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 33 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Chocolay itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Marquette, MI (8 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.