Dollar Bay has cold winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 8°.
A year in Dollar Bay at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Dollar Bay’s climate
Read from where Dollar Bay sits among Michigan’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
Rain and snow in Dollar Bay
September is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
No snow records from a nearby station.
About 138 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 17 and the first by October 1.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
What a year in Dollar Bay feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Living with Dollar Bay’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
138 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 17 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 1.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through May. Heating is 98% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 2 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 77°.
The nicest months are June, July, August and September. 4.1 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Dollar Bay and its neighbors
Portage has the coldest January nights next door (7°) and Houghton the hottest July afternoons (78°). Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Dollar Bay averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.1°).
A bigger shift than in 85% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Dollar Bay compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Michigan.
Dollar Bay 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 | 22° | 8° | 2.0" | 3° – 24° |
| February | 26° | 8° | 1.3" | 4° – 29° |
| March | 36° | 15° | 1.4" | 16° – 40° |
| April | 48° | 28° | 2.3" | 32° – 46° |
| May | 63° | 39° | 3.0" | 45° – 56° |
| June | 72° | 49° | 3.1" | 57° – 66° |
| July | 77° | 54° | 3.2" | 59° – 70° |
| August | 75° | 53° | 2.9" | 59° – 68° |
| September | 68° | 47° | 3.4" | 51° – 63° |
| October | 53° | 36° | 3.3" | 39° – 49° |
| November | 39° | 25° | 2.2" | 23° – 40° |
| December | 28° | 15° | 1.7" | 12° – 30° |
| Year | 51° | 31° | 29.6" |
Heating and cooling a home in Dollar Bay
98% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 4° to 29°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Dollar Bay’s climate
What is the coldest month in Dollar Bay?
February, with a typical high of 26° and a low of 8°.
What is the hottest month in Dollar Bay?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 54°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
When is the first frost in Dollar Bay?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 17.
What is the rainiest month in Dollar Bay?
September, with 3.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 30 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Dollar Bay.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Dollar Bay itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Hancock Houghton Co Airport, MI (3 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. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.