West Branch, MI climate
West Branch has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 53 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade4° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 68°, and a typical Oct 1 in West Branch peaks around 64°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in West Branch feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
West Branch 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 | 28° | 12° | 1.9" | 14.7" | 13 | 28 | 9° – 30° |
| February | 31° | 12° | 1.6" | 11.7" | 10 | 27 | 7° – 31° |
| March | 41° | 21° | 1.8" | 6.9" | 9 | 17 | 20° – 44° |
| April | 55° | 31° | 3.3" | 2.9" | 11 | 2 | 35° – 49° |
| May | 68° | 42° | 3.4" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 47° – 61° |
| June | 77° | 52° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| July | 81° | 56° | 3.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| August | 79° | 55° | 3.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| September | 72° | 47° | 2.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| October | 58° | 37° | 3.3" | 0.3" | 13 | 0 | 44° – 54° |
| November | 44° | 28° | 2.5" | 3.8" | 12 | 5 | 29° – 43° |
| December | 33° | 19° | 2.1" | 12.6" | 13 | 17 | 16° – 36° |
| Year | 56° | 34° | 32.9" | 53.0" | 137 | 95 |
“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 West Branch
West Branch gets 33 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 137 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 95 days of the year.
About 143 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 15 and the first one by October 4. That leaves about 143 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 87% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in West Branch
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In West Branch, 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.
West Branch and its neighbors
West Branch borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.2°. Ogemaw has the coldest January nights (11°) and West Branch the hottest July afternoons (81°). West Branch’s January low is 12° and its July high 81°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How West Branch 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 West Branch averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 94% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at West Branch’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 7° to 31°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about West Branch’s climate
What is the coldest month in West Branch?
January, with a typical high of 28° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in West Branch?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 56°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does West Branch get?
About 53 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in West Branch?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 4, and the last spring frost by May 15.
What is the rainiest month in West Branch?
June, with 3.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 33 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for West Branch itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at West Branch 3se, MI (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.