Central Lake gets about 122 inches of snow a winter, more than all but 134 U.S. towns
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 122 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Central Lake at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Central Lake’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Central Lake’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in Central Lake feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 131 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 23 and the first by October 2. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at E Jordan, MI, 9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Central Lake’s center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −11°. 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 122 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at E Jordan, MI, falls mostly in January and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 34 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 149 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Central Lake
94% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at E Jordan, MI.
Living with Central Lake’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
131 frost-free days in zone 5b. The last frost comes by May 23 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 2.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 0.3 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Central Lake from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (61%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 30%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Central Lake and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Central Lake yet.
Climates most like Central Lake’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Lake, MI | 15° | 79° | 34" | 122" |
| Warsaw, NY | 15° | 79° | 38" | 109" |
| Summit Park, UT | 19° | 79° | 30" | 153" |
| Beachwood, OH | 19° | 82° | 42" | 114" |
| Burlington, VT | 10° | 81° | 38" | 86" |
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 Central Lake averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.4°).
A bigger shift than in 86% 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 Central Lake compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Central Lake’s place among Michigan’s.
Central Lake weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Central Lake’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from E Jordan, MI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 15° | 2.3" | 37.4" | 17 | 29 | 10° – 30° |
| February | 30° | 14° | 1.5" | 23.1" | 12 | 28 | 7° – 32° |
| March | 40° | 21° | 1.9" | 11.0" | 10 | 21 | 20° – 44° |
| April | 52° | 31° | 2.9" | 4.6" | 11 | 3 | 33° – 48° |
| May | 66° | 42° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 46° – 60° |
| June | 75° | 52° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| July | 79° | 57° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 61° – 72° |
| August | 78° | 56° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| September | 70° | 49° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 54° – 65° |
| October | 57° | 40° | 4.3" | 0.7" | 15 | 0 | 43° – 55° |
| November | 43° | 30° | 2.9" | 10.0" | 15 | 7 | 30° – 44° |
| December | 33° | 22° | 2.5" | 35.4" | 16 | 21 | 19° – 36° |
| Year | 54° | 36° | 34.3" | 122.2" | 149 | 110 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 7° to 32°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Central Lake’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 Central Lake’s center.
- Snow: E Jordan, MI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: E Jordan, MI, 9 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 Central Lake’s climate
What is the weather like in Central Lake?
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 122 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 85% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 94% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Central Lake in winter?
February nights average 14°. About 162 nights a year reach 32° or below and 12 reach 0° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 7°.
How much snow does Central Lake get?
About 122 inches in a normal winter at E Jordan, MI, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 110 days a year.
How hot does it get in Central Lake?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 57°. About 12 days a year reach 90° (E Jordan, MI).
When is the first and last frost in Central Lake?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 23 and the first fall frost by October 2, about 131 frost-free days, at E Jordan, MI.
What growing zone is Central Lake in?
Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −11°.
What is the best time of year to visit Central Lake?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Central Lake getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 86% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Central Lake.
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.