Long Lake, MI climate
Long Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 101 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Long Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Long Lake 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° | 2.1" | 32.3" | 21 | 28 | 11° – 30° |
| February | 30° | 15° | 1.4" | 21.4" | 16 | 27 | 9° – 32° |
| March | 40° | 21° | 1.9" | 12.3" | 12 | 20 | 20° – 45° |
| April | 53° | 31° | 2.9" | 4.7" | 13 | 4 | 34° – 48° |
| May | 66° | 42° | 3.1" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 46° – 60° |
| June | 76° | 52° | 2.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| July | 80° | 57° | 2.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| August | 78° | 56° | 3.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| September | 70° | 49° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 54° – 65° |
| October | 57° | 39° | 4.0" | 0.1" | 17 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 44° | 30° | 2.7" | 5.6" | 15 | 5 | 29° – 44° |
| December | 33° | 21° | 2.3" | 24.6" | 18 | 20 | 20° – 36° |
| Year | 54° | 36° | 32.7" | 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 Long Lake
Long Lake 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 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 Long Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Long Lake, 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.
Long Lake and its neighbors
Long Lake borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.0°. Inland has the coldest January nights (14°) and Green Lake the hottest July afternoons (81°). Long Lake’s January low is 15° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Long Lake 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 Long Lake averaged 2.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.8°). The shift is larger than in 100% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Long Lake’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 45°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Long Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Long Lake?
January, with a typical high of 28° and a low of 15°.
What is the hottest month in Long Lake?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 57°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Long Lake get?
About 101 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Long Lake?
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 Long Lake?
October, with 4.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 33 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Long Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Traverse City Munson, MI (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.