Cornell Township sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for winter warmth
July afternoons average 80°. The seasons are far apart: from a winter night to a summer afternoon the average spans 73°. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in 92% of U.S. towns. Central heating does most of its work from October to April, in months below 50° on average.
A year in Cornell Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Cornell Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Cornell Township’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in Cornell Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 133 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 19 and the first by October 1. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Cornell 5se, MI, 9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Cornell Township’s center in zone 5a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −18°. 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 43 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Cornell 5se, MI, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 31 inches a year; July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 114 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Cornell Township
96% 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 Cornell 5se, MI.
Living with Cornell Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
133 frost-free days in zone 5a. The last frost comes by May 19 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 1.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 50 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Cornell Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (59%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 28%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Cornell Township and its neighbors
Wells Township has the coldest January nights next door (6°, 2° colder). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Cornell Township’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornell Township, MI | 8° | 80° | 31" | 43" |
| Grand Rapids, WI | 7° | 81° | 34" | 48" |
| Lakeville, MN | 7° | 82° | 33" | 41" |
| Plattsburgh, NY | 9° | 80° | 34" | 50" |
| Estherville, IA | 7° | 82° | 31" | 38" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Cornell Township averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.5°).
A bigger shift than in 68% 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 Cornell Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Cornell Township’s place among Michigan’s.
Cornell Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Cornell Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Cornell 5se, MI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25° | 8° | 1.5" | 10.3" | 8 | 5° – 26° |
| February | 29° | 8° | 1.1" | 8.4" | 6 | 6° – 30° |
| March | 39° | 17° | 1.7" | 7.9" | 6 | 18° – 40° |
| April | 51° | 28° | 2.7" | 3.1" | 8 | 32° – 46° |
| May | 66° | 39° | 3.2" | 0.1" | 11 | 46° – 58° |
| June | 75° | 49° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 11 | 59° – 67° |
| July | 80° | 54° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 12 | 61° – 72° |
| August | 78° | 53° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 10 | 61° – 70° |
| September | 69° | 46° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 13 | 52° – 63° |
| October | 56° | 35° | 3.5" | 0.4" | 13 | 40° – 51° |
| November | 41° | 25° | 2.3" | 3.7" | 8 | 25° – 41° |
| December | 30° | 14° | 1.8" | 8.7" | 8 | 13° – 31° |
| Year | 53° | 31° | 31.0" | 42.6" | 114 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 6° to 30°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Cornell Township’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 Cornell Township’s center.
- Snow: Cornell 5se, MI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Cornell 5se, 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 Cornell Township’s climate
What is the weather like in Cornell Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 96% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 92% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Cornell Township in winter?
January nights average 8°. About 181 nights a year reach 32° or below and 22 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 5°.
How much snow does Cornell Township get?
About 43 inches in a normal winter at Cornell 5se, MI, most of it in January.
How hot does it get in Cornell Township?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 54°. About 6 days a year reach 90° (Cornell 5se, MI).
When is the first and last frost in Cornell Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 19 and the first fall frost by October 1, about 133 frost-free days, at Cornell 5se, MI.
What growing zone is Cornell Township in?
Zone 5a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −18°.
What is the best time of year to visit Cornell Township?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Cornell Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 68% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Cornell Township.
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.