Detroit has mild winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain
A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 30°, and about 10 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Detroit at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Detroit’s climate
Read from where Detroit sits among Oregon’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
Living with Detroit’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
270 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Mar 9 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Dec 3.
About 10" a winter over 3 days with an inch or more, most in January.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through May. Heating is 93% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 13 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 82°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 1.5 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 →10 inches of snow, 77 of rain and melt
December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 176 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
What a year in Detroit feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 270 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 9 and the first by December 3.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Detroit averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.7°).
A smaller shift than in 60% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Detroit compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Oregon.
Detroit 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 | 43° | 30° | 11.0" | 5.6" | 20 | 3 | 32° – 42° |
| February | 47° | 31° | 8.6" | 2.2" | 18 | 2 | 33° – 45° |
| March | 53° | 33° | 9.0" | 0.9" | 21 | 1 | 39° – 49° |
| April | 58° | 36° | 6.5" | 0 | 20 | 0 | 42° – 53° |
| May | 66° | 41° | 4.3" | 0 | 16 | 0 | 47° – 60° |
| June | 72° | 46° | 2.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| July | 82° | 50° | 0.6" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 58° – 69° |
| August | 82° | 49° | 0.8" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| September | 75° | 44° | 2.6" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 56° – 63° |
| October | 61° | 38° | 6.5" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| November | 49° | 34° | 11.4" | 0.2" | 20 | 0 | 35° – 46° |
| December | 42° | 30° | 12.7" | 1.3" | 21 | 2 | 30° – 39° |
| Year | 61° | 38° | 76.8" | 10.2" | 176 | 7 |
Heating and cooling a home in Detroit
93% 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 33° to 45°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Detroit’s climate
What is the coldest month in Detroit?
December, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 30°.
What is the hottest month in Detroit?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 50°. About 13 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Detroit get?
About 10 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Detroit?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by December 3, and the last spring frost by March 9.
What is the rainiest month in Detroit?
December, with 12.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 77 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Detroit.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Detroit itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Detroit Dam, OR (5 mi) away. 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.