Chief Lake, WI climate
Chief Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 2°, and about 67 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Chief Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Chief Lake 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 | 21° | 2° | 1.0" | 11.3" | 8 | 30 | -1° – 24° |
| February | 26° | 4° | 1.0" | 15.6" | 8 | 28 | 4° – 30° |
| March | 39° | 17° | 1.7" | 12.2" | 8 | 23 | 18° – 43° |
| April | 52° | 29° | 3.0" | 6.0" | 11 | 6 | 31° – 48° |
| May | 66° | 41° | 4.0" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 47° – 60° |
| June | 75° | 51° | 4.5" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| July | 79° | 55° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 60° – 72° |
| August | 76° | 53° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| September | 68° | 45° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 49° – 62° |
| October | 54° | 34° | 3.3" | 1.3" | 10 | 1 | 38° – 49° |
| November | 38° | 22° | 1.9" | 6.5" | 9 | 8 | 21° – 41° |
| December | 25° | 10° | 1.4" | 14.2" | 10 | 25 | 5° – 28° |
| Year | 52° | 30° | 34.0" | 67.2" | 118 | 121 |
“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 Chief Lake
Chief Lake gets 34 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 118 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 121 days of the year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Chief Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Chief Lake, 97% of that work is heating and 3% 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.
Chief Lake and its neighbors
Chief Lake borders 7 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.3°. Little Round Lake has the coldest January nights (2°) and Bass Lake the hottest July afternoons (79°). Chief Lake’s January low is 2° and its July high 79°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Chief Lake 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 Chief Lake averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.7°). The shift is larger than in 83% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Chief Lake’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 4° to 30°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Chief Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Chief Lake?
January, with a typical high of 21° and a low of 2°.
What is the hottest month in Chief Lake?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 55°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Chief Lake get?
About 67 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Chief Lake?
Frost is uncommon. Only 100% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Chief Lake?
June, with 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 34 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Chief Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Couderay 7 W, WI (11 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.