Columbus, MI climate
Columbus has cold winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 8°.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Columbus feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Columbus weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23° | 8° | 2.3" | 4° – 25° |
| February | 26° | 8° | 1.8" | 1° – 29° |
| March | 36° | 16° | 1.8" | 14° – 38° |
| April | 48° | 28° | 2.3" | 30° – 45° |
| May | 62° | 39° | 2.8" | 44° – 57° |
| June | 73° | 48° | 3.0" | 56° – 66° |
| July | 77° | 53° | 3.6" | 58° – 70° |
| August | 75° | 53° | 2.9" | 60° – 68° |
| September | 67° | 47° | 3.8" | 50° – 62° |
| October | 53° | 36° | 4.1" | 39° – 51° |
| November | 39° | 26° | 3.0" | 25° – 39° |
| December | 29° | 16° | 2.6" | 12° – 31° |
| Year | 51° | 31° | 33.9" |
“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 Columbus
Columbus gets 34 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest.
About 135 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 21 and the first one by October 5. That leaves about 135 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 92% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Columbus
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Columbus, 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.
Columbus and its neighbors
Columbus borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.2°. McMillan has the coldest January nights (8°) and Seney the hottest July afternoons (78°). Columbus’s January low is 8° and its July high 77°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Columbus 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 Columbus averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.4°). The shift is larger than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Columbus’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 1° to 29°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Columbus’s climate
What is the coldest month in Columbus?
February, with a typical high of 26° and a low of 8°.
What is the hottest month in Columbus?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 53°.
When is the first frost in Columbus?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 5, and the last spring frost by May 21.
What is the rainiest month in Columbus?
October, with 4.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 34 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Columbus itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Newberry Correctional Facility, MI (13 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.