Elm River, MI climate
Elm River has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 6°, and about 178 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade2° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 62°, and a typical Oct 1 in Elm River peaks around 60°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Elm River feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Elm River 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22° | 6° | 2.0" | 53.1" | 18 | 2° – 24° |
| February | 26° | 6° | 1.3" | 27.0" | 12 | 2° – 29° |
| March | 37° | 14° | 1.5" | 17.6" | 9 | 15° – 40° |
| April | 49° | 27° | 2.4" | 6.9" | 9 | 30° – 46° |
| May | 64° | 39° | 3.0" | 1.0" | 10 | 45° – 58° |
| June | 73° | 49° | 3.2" | 0 | 11 | 57° – 66° |
| July | 77° | 54° | 3.7" | 0 | 11 | 58° – 70° |
| August | 75° | 53° | 3.0" | 0 | 9 | 58° – 68° |
| September | 68° | 46° | 3.5" | 0.1" | 11 | 50° – 62° |
| October | 53° | 35° | 3.5" | 2.5" | 14 | 38° – 49° |
| November | 38° | 23° | 2.3" | 21.4" | 13 | 22° – 40° |
| December | 27° | 13° | 1.9" | 48.1" | 16 | 10° – 28° |
| Year | 51° | 30° | 31.4" | 177.7" | 142 |
“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 Elm River
Elm River gets 31 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 142 days a year.
About 119 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 25 and the first one by September 23. That leaves about 119 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 97% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Elm River
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Elm River, 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.
Elm River and its neighbors
Elm River borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.6°. Laird has both the coldest January nights (6°) and the hottest July afternoons (78°). Elm River’s January low is 6° and its July high 77°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Elm River 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 Elm River averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.2°). The shift is larger than in 79% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Elm River’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 2° to 29°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Elm River’s climate
What is the coldest month in Elm River?
February, with a typical high of 26° and a low of 6°.
What is the hottest month in Elm River?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 54°. About 7 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Elm River get?
About 178 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Elm River?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 23, and the last spring frost by May 25.
What is the rainiest month in Elm River?
July, with 3.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 31 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Elm River itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ontonagon 6 Se, MI (18 mi, snow) and Baraga 7nw, MI (12 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.