Racine, WI climate
Racine has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 41 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Racine feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Racine 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 | 30° | 17° | 1.7" | 13.3" | 10 | 19 | 14° – 35° |
| February | 34° | 20° | 1.6" | 10.9" | 8 | 15 | 15° – 36° |
| March | 43° | 28° | 2.2" | 5.5" | 10 | 6 | 28° – 48° |
| April | 54° | 37° | 3.7" | 1.0" | 12 | 1 | 38° – 50° |
| May | 65° | 47° | 3.9" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| June | 75° | 57° | 4.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| July | 80° | 63° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 67° – 78° |
| August | 79° | 63° | 3.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| September | 73° | 55° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 58° – 69° |
| October | 60° | 44° | 3.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| November | 47° | 33° | 2.3" | 1.9" | 9 | 2 | 32° – 48° |
| December | 36° | 23° | 1.9" | 8.4" | 10 | 9 | 17° – 38° |
| Year | 56° | 40° | 34.6" | 41.0" | 120 | 52 |
“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 Racine
Racine gets 35 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 120 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 52 days of the year.
About 180 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 24 and the first one by October 24. That leaves about 180 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 53% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Racine
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Racine, 91% of that work is heating and 9% 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.
Racine and its neighbors
Racine borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.1°. Mount Pleasant has both the coldest January nights (15°) and the hottest July afternoons (82°). Racine’s January low is 17° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Racine 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 Racine averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°). The shift is smaller than in 75% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Racine’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 15° to 36°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Racine’s climate
What is the coldest month in Racine?
January, with a typical high of 30° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Racine?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 63°. About 7 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Racine get?
About 41 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Racine?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 24, and the last spring frost by April 24.
What is the rainiest month in Racine?
June, with 4.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 35 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Racine itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Racine, WI (2 mi, snow) and Racine Batten Airport, 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.