Nelson, MI climate
Nelson has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 73 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Nelson feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Nelson 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 | 30° | 15° | 2.5" | 20.3" | 15 | 24 | 12° – 32° |
| February | 33° | 15° | 2.0" | 16.5" | 12 | 20 | 11° – 33° |
| March | 43° | 23° | 2.4" | 9.4" | 11 | 10 | 24° – 48° |
| April | 57° | 34° | 3.7" | 2.5" | 12 | 1 | 37° – 51° |
| May | 69° | 45° | 3.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 48° – 62° |
| June | 78° | 54° | 3.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| July | 82° | 58° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 64° – 76° |
| August | 80° | 56° | 3.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| September | 73° | 49° | 3.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| October | 60° | 38° | 3.8" | 0.4" | 12 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| November | 46° | 29° | 3.0" | 5.0" | 13 | 3 | 30° – 45° |
| December | 35° | 21° | 2.5" | 18.8" | 14 | 16 | 18° – 38° |
| Year | 57° | 36° | 37.1" | 72.9" | 139 | 73 |
“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 Nelson
Nelson gets 37 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 139 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 73 days of the year.
About 133 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 18 and the first one by September 28. That leaves about 133 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 93% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Nelson
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Nelson, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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.
Nelson and its neighbors
Nelson borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.7°. Spencer has both the coldest January nights (15°) and the hottest July afternoons (82°). Nelson’s January low is 15° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Nelson 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 Nelson averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°). The shift is larger than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Nelson’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 24° to 48°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Nelson’s climate
What is the coldest month in Nelson?
January, with a typical high of 30° and a low of 15°.
What is the hottest month in Nelson?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 58°. About 14 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Nelson get?
About 73 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Nelson?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 28, and the last spring frost by May 18.
What is the rainiest month in Nelson?
May, with 3.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 37 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Nelson itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Greenville 2 Nne, MI (13 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.