Helena, MI climate
Helena has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 132 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade4° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 68°, and a typical Oct 1 in Helena peaks around 64°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Helena feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Helena 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 | 28° | 15° | 2.2" | 38.3" | 17 | 30 | 11° – 31° |
| February | 31° | 14° | 1.5" | 24.8" | 12 | 28 | 8° – 32° |
| March | 41° | 21° | 1.8" | 13.7" | 10 | 23 | 21° – 45° |
| April | 54° | 31° | 2.9" | 6.8" | 11 | 4 | 34° – 49° |
| May | 67° | 42° | 3.2" | 0.7" | 12 | 0 | 46° – 61° |
| June | 77° | 52° | 3.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 60° – 71° |
| July | 81° | 57° | 2.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| August | 79° | 56° | 3.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| September | 72° | 49° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| October | 58° | 39° | 4.2" | 1.0" | 15 | 1 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 44° | 30° | 2.8" | 17.1" | 15 | 10 | 30° – 45° |
| December | 34° | 22° | 2.4" | 29.7" | 16 | 24 | 19° – 37° |
| Year | 55° | 36° | 33.4" | 132.1" | 148 | 120 |
“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 Helena
Helena gets 33 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 148 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 120 days of the year.
About 158 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 13 and the first one by October 19. That leaves about 158 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 73% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Helena
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Helena, 94% of that work is heating and 6% 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.
Helena and its neighbors
Helena borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.6°. Custer has the coldest January nights (13°) and Clearwater the hottest July afternoons (81°). Helena’s January low is 15° and its July high 81°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Helena 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 Helena averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 95% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Helena’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 45°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Helena’s climate
What is the coldest month in Helena?
February, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Helena?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 57°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Helena get?
About 132 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Helena?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 19, and the last spring frost by May 13.
What is the rainiest month in Helena?
October, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 33 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Helena itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Kalkaska, MI (12 mi, snow) and Old Mission 3ssw, 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.