Oakland, MI climate
Oakland has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 36 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Oakland feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Oakland 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° | 16° | 2.1" | 12.1" | 13 | 22 | 14° – 33° |
| February | 33° | 18° | 1.8" | 9.0" | 10 | 18 | 12° – 35° |
| March | 43° | 26° | 2.2" | 4.1" | 10 | 7 | 25° – 48° |
| April | 57° | 36° | 3.0" | 0.9" | 11 | 1 | 40° – 52° |
| May | 69° | 47° | 3.9" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 50° – 64° |
| June | 78° | 57° | 3.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| July | 82° | 61° | 3.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 67° – 77° |
| August | 80° | 60° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| September | 73° | 52° | 3.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 56° – 67° |
| October | 60° | 42° | 2.8" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 46° | 32° | 2.5" | 1.7" | 10 | 1 | 32° – 46° |
| December | 35° | 23° | 2.1" | 8.1" | 12 | 13 | 17° – 39° |
| Year | 57° | 39° | 33.5" | 36.0" | 130 | 62 |
“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 Oakland
Oakland gets 33 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 130 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 62 days of the year.
About 177 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first one by October 22. That leaves about 177 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 51% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Oakland
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Oakland, 90% of that work is heating and 10% 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.
Oakland and its neighbors
Oakland borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.5°. Orion has the coldest January nights (16°) and Rochester Hills the hottest July afternoons (83°). Oakland’s January low is 16° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Oakland 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 Oakland averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.9°). The shift is larger than in 78% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Oakland’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 12° to 35°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Oakland’s climate
What is the coldest month in Oakland?
January, with a typical high of 30° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Oakland?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 61°. About 10 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Oakland get?
About 36 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Oakland?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 22, and the last spring frost by April 26.
What is the rainiest month in Oakland?
May, with 3.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 33 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Oakland itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Pontiac WWTP, MI (9 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.