Onalaska, WI climate
Onalaska has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, 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 Onalaska feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Onalaska 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 | 25° | 9° | 1.2" | 9.1" | 9 | 23 | 5° – 30° |
| February | 30° | 12° | 1.1" | 10.9" | 8 | 24 | 9° – 33° |
| March | 43° | 24° | 1.9" | 6.8" | 9 | 12 | 26° – 50° |
| April | 57° | 36° | 3.8" | 2.6" | 12 | 1 | 37° – 53° |
| May | 69° | 47° | 4.8" | 0.1" | 14 | 0 | 52° – 65° |
| June | 78° | 57° | 5.2" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| July | 82° | 62° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 78° |
| August | 80° | 59° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 65° – 75° |
| September | 72° | 51° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 55° – 67° |
| October | 59° | 39° | 2.8" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 43° – 55° |
| November | 43° | 27° | 1.9" | 1.6" | 8 | 2 | 26° – 47° |
| December | 30° | 16° | 1.4" | 11.6" | 11 | 17 | 9° – 32° |
| Year | 56° | 37° | 36.7" | 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 Onalaska
Onalaska 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 177 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first one by October 17. That leaves about 177 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 51% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Onalaska
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Onalaska, 88% of that work is heating and 12% 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.
Onalaska and its neighbors
Onalaska borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.5°. Hamilton has the coldest January nights (8°) and La Crosse the hottest July afternoons (83°). Onalaska’s January low is 9° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Onalaska 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 Onalaska averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.1°). The shift is larger than in 62% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Onalaska’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 5° to 30°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Onalaska’s climate
What is the coldest month in Onalaska?
January, with a typical high of 25° and a low of 9°.
What is the hottest month in Onalaska?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 62°. About 18 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Onalaska get?
About 43 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Onalaska?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 17, and the last spring frost by April 23.
What is the rainiest month in Onalaska?
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 Onalaska 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 Municipal Airport, WI (3 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.