Palmer has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 6°, and about 197 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Palmer at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Palmer’s climate
Read from where Palmer sits among Michigan’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
197 inches of snow, 33 of rain and melt
September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 167 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 119 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 26 and the first by September 25.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Palmer’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
119 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 26 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 25.
About 197" a winter over 49 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 153 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through May. Heating is 98% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 4 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 78°.
The nicest months are June, July, August and September. 1.9 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →What a year in Palmer feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Palmer averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.8°).
A bigger shift than in 82% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Palmer compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Michigan.
Palmer 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 | 22° | 6° | 1.8" | 42.1" | 18 | 31 | 3° – 24° |
| February | 26° | 6° | 1.5" | 36.8" | 14 | 28 | 3° – 29° |
| March | 36° | 15° | 1.9" | 29.4" | 14 | 30 | 16° – 39° |
| April | 49° | 27° | 2.8" | 17.6" | 12 | 16 | 30° – 45° |
| May | 63° | 38° | 3.2" | 1.4" | 13 | 1 | 45° – 56° |
| June | 73° | 49° | 3.4" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| July | 78° | 53° | 3.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| August | 76° | 52° | 2.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| September | 67° | 46° | 3.6" | 0.1" | 13 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| October | 53° | 34° | 3.6" | 5.3" | 16 | 3 | 38° – 49° |
| November | 39° | 24° | 2.5" | 24.2" | 15 | 16 | 22° – 40° |
| December | 27° | 13° | 2.1" | 39.9" | 17 | 29 | 11° – 29° |
| Year | 51° | 30° | 32.7" | 196.8" | 167 | 153 |
Heating and cooling a home in Palmer
98% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 3° to 29°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Palmer’s climate
What is the coldest month in Palmer?
January, with a typical high of 22° and a low of 6°.
What is the hottest month in Palmer?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 53°. About 4 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Palmer get?
About 197 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Palmer?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 25, and the last spring frost by May 26.
What is the rainiest month in Palmer?
September, with 3.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 33 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Palmer.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Palmer itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Marquette, MI (6 mi, snow) and Ishpeming WWTP, MI (6 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.