Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0Midwinter lows in La Crosse stay above those of 91% of U.S. towns
In July the day’s top temperature is typically 92°. Expect the heaviest rain or snow in June and the lightest in November. By precipitation alone, it ranks wetter than 89% of U.S. towns. Comfortable outdoor weather lasts from October to April, with highs of 67–83°.
A year in La Crosse at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about La Crosse’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with La Crosse’s place in Florida beside it.
What a year in La Crosse feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 255 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 13 and the first by November 22. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at High Springs, FL, 12 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts La Crosse’s center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 22°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 52 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain falls on about 114 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Gainesville Rgnl Airport, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in La Crosse
34% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55° run from January.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at High Springs, FL.
Living with La Crosse’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
255 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Mar 13 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 22.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, October, November and December.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in La Crosse from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (45%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 4%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →La Crosse and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around La Crosse yet.
Climates most like La Crosse’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse, FL | 42° | 92° | 52" | 0.0" |
| Manvel, TX | 45° | 93° | 53" | 0.0" |
| Richmond Hill, GA | 40° | 92° | 49" | 0.0" |
| Laurel Bay, SC | 40° | 91° | 49" | 0.0" |
| Headland, AL | 39° | 91° | 56" | 0.1" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in La Crosse averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.6°).
A smaller shift than in 82% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How La Crosse compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with La Crosse’s place among Florida’s.
La Crosse weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at La Crosse’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Gainesville Rgnl Airport. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 67° | 42° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| February | 71° | 45° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 50° – 66° |
| March | 76° | 50° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| April | 82° | 55° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| May | 88° | 63° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 72° – 79° |
| June | 91° | 69° | 7.5" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 78° – 84° |
| July | 92° | 72° | 7.1" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 80° – 84° |
| August | 91° | 72° | 7.3" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 79° – 84° |
| September | 89° | 69° | 5.7" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 76° – 82° |
| October | 83° | 60° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| November | 75° | 50° | 1.9" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 57° – 69° |
| December | 69° | 45° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 47° – 67° |
| Year | 81° | 58° | 52.2" | 0.0" | 114 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 47° to 67°. July is the most reliable, staying within 4°.
Where La Crosse’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at La Crosse’s center.
- Snow: Gainesville Rgnl Airport.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: High Springs, FL, 12 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about La Crosse’s climate
What is the weather like in La Crosse?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 42°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 91% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 87% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in La Crosse in winter?
January nights average 42°. About 27 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 49°.
How much snow does La Crosse get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Gainesville Rgnl Airport, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in La Crosse?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 72°. About 100 days a year reach 90° and 1 reach 100° (High Springs, FL).
When is the first and last frost in La Crosse?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 13 and the first fall frost by November 22, about 255 frost-free days, at High Springs, FL.
What growing zone is La Crosse in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 22°.
What is the best time of year to visit La Crosse?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is La Crosse getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 82% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in La Crosse.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.