Garfield, MI climate
Garfield has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 101 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Garfield feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Garfield 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 | 29° | 16° | 2.0" | 32.3" | 21 | 28 | 12° – 31° |
| February | 31° | 16° | 1.3" | 21.4" | 16 | 27 | 9° – 33° |
| March | 40° | 22° | 1.8" | 12.3" | 12 | 20 | 21° – 46° |
| April | 53° | 32° | 2.9" | 4.7" | 13 | 4 | 34° – 48° |
| May | 66° | 42° | 3.1" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 46° – 60° |
| June | 76° | 53° | 2.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| July | 80° | 58° | 2.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| August | 78° | 57° | 3.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| September | 71° | 50° | 3.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| October | 57° | 40° | 3.9" | 0.1" | 17 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 44° | 31° | 2.6" | 5.6" | 15 | 5 | 30° – 45° |
| December | 34° | 23° | 2.1" | 24.6" | 18 | 20 | 20° – 37° |
| Year | 55° | 36° | 31.7" | 101.0" | 168 | 103 |
“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 Garfield
Garfield gets 32 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 168 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 103 days of the year.
About 156 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 9 and the first one by October 15. That leaves about 156 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 75% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Garfield
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Garfield, 95% of that work is heating and 5% 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.
Garfield and its neighbors
Garfield borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 3.0°. Blair has both the coldest January nights (14°) and the hottest July afternoons (81°). Garfield’s January low is 16° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Garfield 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 Garfield averaged 2.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.9°). The shift is larger than in 100% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Garfield’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 21° to 46°. August is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Garfield’s climate
What is the coldest month in Garfield?
February, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Garfield?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 58°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Garfield get?
About 101 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Garfield?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 15, and the last spring frost by May 9.
What is the rainiest month in Garfield?
October, with 3.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 32 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Garfield itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Traverse City Munson, MI (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.