Rapid River, MI climate
Rapid River has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 132 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Rapid River feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Rapid River 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 | 27° | 13° | 2.3" | 38.3" | 17 | 30 | 9° – 29° |
| February | 30° | 12° | 1.6" | 24.8" | 12 | 28 | 6° – 31° |
| March | 40° | 20° | 1.9" | 13.7" | 10 | 23 | 19° – 44° |
| April | 53° | 30° | 3.0" | 6.8" | 11 | 4 | 33° – 48° |
| May | 67° | 41° | 3.3" | 0.7" | 12 | 0 | 46° – 61° |
| June | 76° | 52° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| July | 80° | 56° | 3.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 61° – 72° |
| August | 78° | 55° | 3.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| September | 70° | 48° | 3.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| October | 57° | 38° | 4.2" | 1.0" | 15 | 1 | 43° – 54° |
| November | 43° | 29° | 3.0" | 17.1" | 15 | 10 | 29° – 43° |
| December | 32° | 20° | 2.5" | 29.7" | 16 | 24 | 17° – 35° |
| Year | 54° | 34° | 34.9" | 132.1" | 148 | 120 |
“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 Rapid River
Rapid River gets 35 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 148 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 120 days of the year.
About 128 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 24 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 128 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 95% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Rapid River
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Rapid River, 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.
Rapid River and its neighbors
Rapid River borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.7°. Coldsprings has the coldest January nights (12°) and Clearwater the hottest July afternoons (81°). Rapid River’s January low is 13° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Rapid River 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 Rapid River averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 93% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Rapid River’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 6° to 31°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Rapid River’s climate
What is the coldest month in Rapid River?
February, with a typical high of 30° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in Rapid River?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 56°. About 4 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Rapid River get?
About 132 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Rapid River?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 24.
What is the rainiest month in Rapid River?
October, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 35 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Rapid River itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Kalkaska, MI (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.