Ely, MI climate
Ely has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 118 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Ely feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Ely 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 | 21° | 4° | 1.6" | 25.1" | 17 | 31 | 1° – 23° |
| February | 25° | 4° | 1.3" | 23.9" | 13 | 29 | 1° – 28° |
| March | 36° | 13° | 1.7" | 14.5" | 10 | 29 | 14° – 39° |
| April | 48° | 25° | 2.8" | 14.7" | 12 | 14 | 29° – 44° |
| May | 63° | 37° | 3.3" | 0.8" | 15 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| June | 73° | 47° | 3.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| July | 77° | 52° | 3.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 58° – 69° |
| August | 75° | 51° | 3.0" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| September | 67° | 44° | 3.7" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| October | 53° | 33° | 3.6" | 2.7" | 16 | 2 | 37° – 49° |
| November | 37° | 22° | 2.3" | 15.0" | 16 | 15 | 20° – 39° |
| December | 26° | 11° | 1.9" | 21.1" | 17 | 28 | 9° – 27° |
| Year | 50° | 28° | 32.5" | 117.8" | 166 | 147 |
“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 Ely
Ely gets 33 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 166 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 147 days of the year.
About 96 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 5 and the first one by September 10. That leaves about 96 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 99% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Ely
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Ely, 99% of that work is heating and 1% 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.
Ely and its neighbors
Ely borders 7 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 3.3°. Humboldt has the coldest January nights (3°) and Felch the hottest July afternoons (79°). Ely’s January low is 4° and its July high 77°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Ely 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 Ely averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°). The shift is larger than in 83% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Ely’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 28°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Ely’s climate
What is the coldest month in Ely?
January, with a typical high of 21° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in Ely?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 52°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Ely get?
About 118 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Ely?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 10, and the last spring frost by June 5.
What is the rainiest month in Ely?
July, with 3.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 33 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Ely itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Clarksburg, MI (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.