Van Buren, MI climate
Van Buren has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 45 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Van Buren feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Van Buren 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 | 32° | 17° | 2.1" | 14.0" | 13 | 17 | 15° – 35° |
| February | 35° | 19° | 1.9" | 12.5" | 11 | 14 | 13° – 36° |
| March | 46° | 27° | 2.3" | 6.2" | 11 | 6 | 28° – 50° |
| April | 59° | 37° | 3.2" | 1.5" | 13 | 1 | 42° – 54° |
| May | 71° | 48° | 3.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 51° – 65° |
| June | 80° | 58° | 3.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| July | 84° | 62° | 3.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 68° – 79° |
| August | 82° | 60° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 65° – 76° |
| September | 75° | 52° | 3.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| October | 62° | 41° | 2.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| November | 48° | 32° | 2.5" | 1.9" | 11 | 2 | 33° – 47° |
| December | 37° | 24° | 2.1" | 8.9" | 13 | 8 | 18° – 40° |
| Year | 59° | 40° | 33.4" | 45.0" | 136 | 47 |
“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 Van Buren
Van Buren 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 136 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 47 days of the year.
About 188 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 20 and the first one by October 27. That leaves about 188 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 62% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Van Buren
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Van Buren, 88% of that work is heating and 12% 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.
Van Buren and its neighbors
Van Buren borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.2°. Ypsilanti has the coldest January nights (17°) and Sumpter the hottest July afternoons (84°). Van Buren’s January low is 17° and its July high 84°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Van Buren 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 Van Buren averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.8°). The shift is larger than in 80% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Van Buren’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 13° to 36°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Van Buren’s climate
What is the coldest month in Van Buren?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Van Buren?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 62°. About 13 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Van Buren get?
About 45 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Van Buren?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 27, and the last spring frost by April 20.
What is the rainiest month in Van Buren?
May, with 3.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 33 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Van Buren itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Detroit Metro Airport, MI (8 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.