Plum Lake, WI climate
Plum Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 3°, and about 77 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Plum Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Plum 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° | 3° | 1.4" | 15.2" | 11 | 30 | -1° – 23° |
| February | 26° | 3° | 1.2" | 14.1" | 8 | 28 | 2° – 29° |
| March | 37° | 13° | 1.8" | 10.0" | 9 | 22 | 14° – 40° |
| April | 50° | 26° | 2.9" | 7.7" | 11 | 7 | 28° – 46° |
| May | 65° | 39° | 3.6" | 0.3" | 12 | 0 | 45° – 58° |
| June | 73° | 49° | 4.3" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| July | 77° | 53° | 4.1" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| August | 75° | 52° | 3.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| September | 67° | 45° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| October | 53° | 33° | 3.6" | 2.1" | 13 | 1 | 36° – 49° |
| November | 37° | 22° | 2.1" | 9.5" | 11 | 9 | 20° – 40° |
| December | 26° | 10° | 1.7" | 17.6" | 10 | 25 | 7° – 28° |
| Year | 51° | 29° | 33.8" | 76.5" | 130 | 123 |
“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 Plum Lake
Plum Lake gets 34 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 130 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 123 days of the year.
About 121 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 25 and the first one by September 24. That leaves about 121 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 97% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Plum Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Plum Lake, 98% of that work is heating and 2% 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.
Plum Lake and its neighbors
Plum Lake borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.5°. Land O'Lakes has the coldest January nights (2°) and St. Germain the hottest July afternoons (77°). Plum Lake’s January low is 3° and its July high 77°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Plum 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 Plum Lake averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.1°). The shift is larger than in 63% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Plum 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 2° to 29°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Plum Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Plum Lake?
January, with a typical high of 21° and a low of 3°.
What is the hottest month in Plum Lake?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 53°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Plum Lake get?
About 77 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Plum Lake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 24, and the last spring frost by May 25.
What is the rainiest month in Plum Lake?
June, with 4.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 34 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Plum Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Eagle Rvr, WI (15 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.