La Crosse, WI climate
La Crosse has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in La Crosse feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
La Crosse 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 | 26° | 9° | 1.2" | 9.1" | 9 | 23 | 6° – 30° |
| February | 31° | 12° | 1.1" | 10.9" | 8 | 24 | 10° – 33° |
| March | 44° | 24° | 1.9" | 6.8" | 9 | 12 | 27° – 50° |
| April | 58° | 36° | 3.9" | 2.6" | 12 | 1 | 38° – 54° |
| May | 70° | 48° | 4.8" | 0.1" | 14 | 0 | 53° – 66° |
| June | 79° | 58° | 5.2" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| July | 83° | 62° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 67° – 79° |
| August | 81° | 60° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 65° – 76° |
| September | 73° | 52° | 3.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 55° – 68° |
| October | 60° | 39° | 2.8" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 44° | 28° | 1.9" | 1.6" | 8 | 2 | 27° – 47° |
| December | 31° | 16° | 1.4" | 11.6" | 11 | 17 | 9° – 33° |
| Year | 57° | 37° | 36.5" | 42.9" | 126 | 78 |
“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 La Crosse
La Crosse gets 37 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 126 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 78 days of the year.
About 167 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 27 and the first one by October 13. That leaves about 167 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 64% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in La Crosse
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In La Crosse, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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.
La Crosse and its neighbors
La Crosse borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.3°. Campbell has both the coldest January nights (8°) and the hottest July afternoons (83°). La Crosse’s January low is 9° and its July high 83°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How La Crosse 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 La Crosse averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°). The shift is larger than in 56% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at La Crosse’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 6° to 30°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about La Crosse’s climate
What is the coldest month in La Crosse?
January, with a typical high of 26° and a low of 9°.
What is the hottest month in La Crosse?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 62°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does La Crosse get?
About 43 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in La Crosse?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 13, and the last spring frost by April 27.
What is the rainiest month in La Crosse?
June, with 5.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 37 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for La Crosse itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at La Crosse 4nnw, WI (4 mi, snow) and La Crosse Wfo, WI (2 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.