South Milwaukee, WI climate
South Milwaukee has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 49 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in South Milwaukee feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
South Milwaukee 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° | 16° | 1.7" | 14.9" | 11 | 20 | 14° – 34° |
| February | 33° | 19° | 1.6" | 11.8" | 10 | 17 | 14° – 36° |
| March | 43° | 28° | 2.1" | 6.7" | 11 | 8 | 28° – 48° |
| April | 54° | 37° | 3.7" | 2.1" | 12 | 1 | 38° – 51° |
| May | 65° | 47° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| June | 75° | 57° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| July | 81° | 63° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 67° – 78° |
| August | 79° | 63° | 3.6" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| September | 72° | 55° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| October | 60° | 44° | 2.9" | 0.3" | 10 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| November | 47° | 32° | 2.2" | 2.5" | 10 | 2 | 31° – 48° |
| December | 35° | 22° | 1.9" | 10.4" | 10 | 11 | 17° – 38° |
| Year | 56° | 40° | 34.3" | 48.7" | 126 | 58 |
“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 South Milwaukee
South Milwaukee 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 126 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 58 days of the year.
About 184 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 22 and the first one by October 26. That leaves about 184 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 57% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in South Milwaukee
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In South Milwaukee, 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.
South Milwaukee and its neighbors
South Milwaukee borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.8°. Oak Creek has both the coldest January nights (16°) and the hottest July afternoons (81°). South Milwaukee’s January low is 16° and its July high 81°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How South Milwaukee 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 South Milwaukee averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.8°). The shift is smaller than in 53% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at South Milwaukee’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 14° to 36°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about South Milwaukee’s climate
What is the coldest month in South Milwaukee?
January, with a typical high of 30° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in South Milwaukee?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 63°. About 7 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does South Milwaukee get?
About 49 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in South Milwaukee?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 26, and the last spring frost by April 22.
What is the rainiest month in South Milwaukee?
June, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 34 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for South Milwaukee itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Milwaukee Mitchell Airport, WI (4 mi, snow) and South Milwaukee WWTP, WI (1 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.