Ironwood, MI climate
Ironwood has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 186 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Ironwood feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Ironwood 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 | 20° | 4° | 2.0" | 43.1" | 18 | 0° – 24° |
| February | 25° | 5° | 1.5" | 30.9" | 14 | 3° – 30° |
| March | 37° | 14° | 1.9" | 23.9" | 13 | 15° – 41° |
| April | 49° | 27° | 3.0" | 11.7" | 13 | 28° – 46° |
| May | 64° | 39° | 3.8" | 1.9" | 13 | 45° – 58° |
| June | 73° | 50° | 4.0" | 0 | 13 | 57° – 66° |
| July | 77° | 54° | 4.2" | 0 | 13 | 59° – 70° |
| August | 75° | 52° | 3.8" | 0 | 12 | 58° – 68° |
| September | 67° | 45° | 3.7" | 0.3" | 14 | 49° – 61° |
| October | 53° | 34° | 3.8" | 6.0" | 16 | 36° – 48° |
| November | 37° | 22° | 2.6" | 24.1" | 15 | 19° – 41° |
| December | 25° | 11° | 2.2" | 43.6" | 17 | 7° – 27° |
| Year | 50° | 30° | 36.6" | 185.5" | 169 |
“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 Ironwood
Ironwood gets 37 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 169 days a year.
About 132 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 20 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 132 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 94% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Ironwood
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Ironwood, 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.
Ironwood and its neighbors
Ironwood borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 3.1°. Oma has the coldest January nights (2°) and Kimball the hottest July afternoons (77°). Ironwood’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 Ironwood 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 Ironwood averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 54% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Ironwood’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 3° to 30°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Ironwood’s climate
What is the coldest month in Ironwood?
January, with a typical high of 20° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in Ironwood?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 54°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Ironwood get?
About 186 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Ironwood?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 20.
What is the rainiest month in Ironwood?
July, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 37 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Ironwood itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ironwood, MI (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.