Forester Township sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for July heat
In January the night’s low is typically 18°. Precipitation is light here, less than falls on 82% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 1.5°, most of all in December. Tender plants can go out after about May 2; in half of years the first frost comes by October 16.
A year in Forester Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Forester Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Forester Township’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in Forester Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 165 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first by October 16. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Sandusky, MI, 13 miles from the town’s center, 100 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Forester Township’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −6°. 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 47 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Harbor Beach 1 Sse, MI, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 33 inches a year; May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 140 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Forester Township
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 Sandusky, MI.
Living with Forester Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
165 frost-free days in zone 6a. 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 16.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 1.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 44% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Forester Township from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Forester Township and its neighbors
Marion Township has the coldest January nights next door (16°, 2° colder) and Sanilac Township the hottest July afternoons (80°, 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 Forester 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forester Township, MI | 18° | 78° | 33" | 47" |
| Sheboygan, WI | 15° | 79° | 32" | 45" |
| Newfane, NY | 20° | 80° | 33" | 55" |
| Winthrop Harbor, IL | 17° | 81° | 36" | 36" |
| Portage, IN | 19° | 83° | 38" | 40" |
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 Forester Township averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°).
A bigger shift than in 62% 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 Forester Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Forester Township’s place among Michigan’s.
Forester Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Forester Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Harbor Beach 1 Sse, MI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 18° | 2.3" | 15.4" | 16 | 25 | 13° – 33° |
| February | 32° | 18° | 1.9" | 11.2" | 11 | 25 | 10° – 33° |
| March | 40° | 26° | 2.0" | 6.0" | 10 | 17 | 23° – 46° |
| April | 52° | 35° | 3.2" | 1.4" | 12 | 2 | 37° – 49° |
| May | 64° | 45° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 47° – 61° |
| June | 74° | 56° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| July | 78° | 61° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| August | 77° | 61° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| September | 71° | 54° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 57° – 67° |
| October | 59° | 44° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 46° | 33° | 2.5" | 1.7" | 13 | 2 | 32° – 46° |
| December | 35° | 25° | 2.2" | 11.5" | 15 | 15 | 19° – 40° |
| Year | 55° | 40° | 32.8" | 47.2" | 140 | 85 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 10° to 33°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Forester 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 Forester Township’s center.
- Snow: Harbor Beach 1 Sse, MI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Sandusky, MI, 13 miles from the town’s center, 100 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 Forester Township’s climate
What is the weather like in Forester Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 47 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 70% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Forester Township in winter?
January nights average 18°. About 151 nights a year reach 32° or below and 10 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 13°.
How much snow does Forester Township get?
About 47 inches in a normal winter at Harbor Beach 1 Sse, MI, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 85 days a year.
How hot does it get in Forester Township?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 61°. About 6 days a year reach 90° (Sandusky, MI).
When is the first and last frost in Forester Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 2 and the first fall frost by October 16, about 165 frost-free days, at Sandusky, MI.
What growing zone is Forester Township in?
Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −6°.
What is the best time of year to visit Forester Township?
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 Forester Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 62% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Forester 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.