Leelanau, MI climate
Leelanau has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 91 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Leelanau feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Leelanau 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° | 17° | 2.2" | 26.3" | 18 | 29 | 12° – 31° |
| February | 29° | 16° | 1.4" | 19.0" | 14 | 28 | 8° – 32° |
| March | 38° | 22° | 1.9" | 12.6" | 11 | 23 | 20° – 44° |
| April | 50° | 32° | 2.9" | 5.9" | 12 | 6 | 33° – 47° |
| May | 63° | 42° | 3.0" | 0.1" | 13 | 0 | 44° – 58° |
| June | 73° | 53° | 2.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| July | 77° | 59° | 2.6" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 61° – 72° |
| August | 76° | 59° | 2.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| September | 69° | 52° | 3.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| October | 56° | 42° | 4.1" | 0.1" | 15 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 43° | 32° | 2.8" | 6.2" | 16 | 8 | 31° – 45° |
| December | 33° | 24° | 2.3" | 21.2" | 17 | 21 | 21° – 38° |
| Year | 53° | 37° | 32.6" | 91.4" | 157 | 114 |
“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 Leelanau
Leelanau 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 157 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 114 days of the year.
About 169 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 9 and the first one by October 26. That leaves about 169 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 62% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Leelanau
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Leelanau, 96% of that work is heating and 4% 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.
Leelanau and its neighbors
Leelanau borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.9°. Suttons Bay has both the coldest January nights (16°) and the hottest July afternoons (77°). Leelanau’s January low is 17° and its July high 77°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Leelanau 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 Leelanau averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.4°). The shift is larger than in 95% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Leelanau’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 20° to 44°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Leelanau’s climate
What is the coldest month in Leelanau?
February, with a typical high of 29° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Leelanau?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 59°.
How much snow does Leelanau get?
About 91 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Leelanau?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 26, and the last spring frost by May 9.
What is the rainiest month in Leelanau?
October, with 4.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 33 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Leelanau itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Northport 2w, MI (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.