Climate · White River

White River, MI climate

White River has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 69 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade
July high
79°
352nd coolest of 1,983 Michigan towns
January low
18°
135th mildest of 1,983 Michigan towns
Rain + melted snow
36 in
523rd wettest of 1,983 Michigan towns
Snow a winter
69 in
688th snowiest of 1,918 Michigan towns
A normal year

What a year in White River feels like

Winter

33° / 21°
Typical high / low · 29 days with an inch or more of snow

Spring

54° / 35°
Typical high / low · Last frost around May 19

Summer

77° / 58°
Typical high / low · 2 days reach 90° in a normal year

Fall

58° / 42°
Typical high / low · First frost around Oct 4
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Month by month

White River weather by month

Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January30°18°2.2" 26.0"1025 15° – 34°
February33°19°1.9" 13.8"721 15° – 35°
March42°26°2.1" 6.7"89 25° – 48°
April54°35°3.7" 1.7"101 36° – 50°
May66°45°3.6" 0110 48° – 61°
June75°55°3.5" 090 59° – 71°
July79°60°3.2" 080 64° – 76°
August78°60°3.3" 080 63° – 74°
September71°52°3.1" 090 56° – 66°
October58°42°3.9" 0.1"110 47° – 56°
November46°33°3.0" 4.7"104 32° – 46°
December35°24°2.4" 15.9"915 21° – 38°
Year56°39°35.8"68.9"11074

“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 & snow

Rain and snow in White River

White River gets 36 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 110 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 74 days of the year.

36 in
Rain + melted snow a year
Less rain than 63% of U.S. towns
69 in
Snow in a normal winter
More snow than 92% of U.S. towns
74 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
More than 79% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water
3.9"

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow
26"
Frost & the growing season

About 136 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 19 and the first one by October 4. That leaves about 136 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 92% of U.S. towns.

145
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
4
nights below 0° in a normal year
2
days that reach 90° in a normal year

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in White River

Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In White River, 95% of that work is heating and 5% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.

95%heating
6,941 heating degree daysMore heating than 72% of U.S. towns
400 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 85% of U.S. towns

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.

Around White River

White River and its neighbors

White River borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.9°. Montague has both the coldest January nights (18°) and the hottest July afternoons (81°). White River’s January low is 18° and its July high 79°.

Dalton: January low 17°, July high 82°Whitehall: January low 18°, July high 81°Laketon: January low 19°, July high 81°Grant: January low 17°, July high 81°Whitehall: January low 18°, July high 82°Montague: January low 18°, July high 81°Blue Lake: January low 17°, July high 82°Benona: January low 17°, July high 79°Fruitland: January low 18°, July high 81°Montague: January low 18°, July high 81°Claybanks: January low 18°, July high 80°White River: January low 18°, July high 79° White RiverFruitlandMontagueClaybanks
ColderMilder17° to 19°
Montague17.5° −0.9°
Claybanks17.7° −0.7°
Fruitland18.2° −0.2°
White River18.4°

Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.

Compared with other towns

How White River compares

Summer heat79° July high
Cooler than 92% of U.S. towns352nd coolest of 1,983 Michigan towns
Winter cold18° January low
Colder than 54% of U.S. towns135th mildest of 1,983 Michigan towns
Precipitation36" a year
Drier than 63% of U.S. towns523rd wettest of 1,983 Michigan towns
Snow69" a winter
Snowier than 92% of U.S. towns688th snowiest of 1,918 Michigan towns
Growing season136 frost-free days
Shorter than 92% of U.S. towns430th shortest of 1,980 Michigan towns

Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

+1.7°1991–2020 average vs. the 20th century (1901–2000)

The last 30 years in White River averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.0°). The shift is larger than in 82% of U.S. towns.

❄️ Winter+2.6° now 27°, was 24°
🌷 Spring+1.7° now 45°, was 43°
☀️ Summer+1.3° now 68°, was 66°
🍂 Fall+1.2° now 50°, was 49°

Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at White River’s spot on NOAA’s grid

Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 25° to 48°. October is the most reliable, staying within 9°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Questions

Common questions about White River’s climate

What is the coldest month in White River?

January, with a typical high of 30° and a low of 18°.

What is the hottest month in White River?

July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 60°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.

How much snow does White River get?

About 69 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.

When is the first frost in White River?

In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 4, and the last spring frost by May 19.

What is the rainiest month in White River?

October, with 3.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 36 inches.

Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for White River itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Montague 4 Nw, MI (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.

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