Photo: TCP04 · CC BY 4.0Elberta gets about 93 inches of snow a winter, more than 97% of U.S. towns
A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 93 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Elberta at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Elberta’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Elberta’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in Elberta feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 175 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first by October 26. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Frankfort 2ne, MI, 2.2 miles from the town’s center, 340 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Elberta’s center in zone 6b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −2°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
About 93 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Frankfort 2ne, MI, falls mostly in January. 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 133 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Elberta
95% 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 Frankfort 2ne, MI.
Living with Elberta’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
175 frost-free days in zone 6b. The last frost comes by May 2 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 26.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 2.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 46% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Elberta from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Elberta and its neighbors
Crystal Lake Township has the coldest January nights next door (16°, 1° colder) and Crystal Lake Township the hottest July afternoons (78°, 1° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Elberta’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elberta, MI | 17° | 77° | 34" | 93" |
| Greece, NY | 19° | 79° | 34" | 102" |
| Ashtabula, OH | 22° | 80° | 41" | 90" |
| Summit Park, UT | 19° | 79° | 30" | 153" |
| Burlington, VT | 10° | 81° | 38" | 86" |
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 Elberta averaged 2.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.4°).
A bigger shift than in all but 144 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 Elberta compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Elberta’s place among Michigan’s.
Elberta weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Elberta’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Frankfort 2ne, MI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 17° | 2.2" | 27.2" | 15 | 28 | 13° – 31° |
| February | 30° | 17° | 1.4" | 19.4" | 11 | 27 | 12° – 33° |
| March | 39° | 24° | 2.0" | 12.8" | 9 | 22 | 22° – 46° |
| April | 51° | 33° | 3.1" | 3.3" | 10 | 3 | 34° – 48° |
| May | 63° | 44° | 3.2" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 46° – 59° |
| June | 73° | 54° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| July | 77° | 60° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 62° – 74° |
| August | 76° | 60° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| September | 69° | 53° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| October | 56° | 42° | 4.0" | 0.3" | 13 | 0 | 45° – 56° |
| November | 44° | 32° | 2.9" | 6.4" | 12 | 6 | 30° – 44° |
| December | 33° | 24° | 2.2" | 23.5" | 13 | 20 | 21° – 37° |
| Year | 53° | 38° | 33.5" | 93.0" | 133 | 107 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 22° to 46°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Elberta’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 Elberta’s center.
- Snow: Frankfort 2ne, MI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Frankfort 2ne, MI, 2.2 miles from the town’s center, 340 ft higher; 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 Elberta’s climate
What is the weather like in Elberta?
A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 93 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 73% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Elberta in winter?
January nights average 17°. About 138 nights a year reach 32° or below and 2 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 13°.
How much snow does Elberta get?
About 93 inches in a normal winter at Frankfort 2ne, MI, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 107 days a year.
How hot does it get in Elberta?
July, with a typical high of 77°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Frankfort 2ne, MI.
When is the first and last frost in Elberta?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 2 and the first fall frost by October 26, about 175 frost-free days, at Frankfort 2ne, MI.
What growing zone is Elberta in?
Zone 6b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −2°.
What is the best time of year to visit Elberta?
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 Elberta getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than all but 144 U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Elberta.
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.