Photo: Cityofhoughton1 · CC BY-SA 4.0Hardly any U.S. towns see fresher July days than Houghton
In January the night’s low is typically 8°. Seasons differ by 70°, from the coldest nights to the warmest afternoons. Winter nights are cold: in January they are colder than in 96% of U.S. towns. For walks and days out, the stretch from June to September brings highs of 68–78°.
A year in Houghton at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Houghton’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Houghton’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in Houghton feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 138 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 17 and the first by October 1. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Hancock Houghton Co Airport, 6 miles from the town’s center, 200 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Houghton’s center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −14°. 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 29 inches of rain a year
September is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Houghton
98% 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 Hancock Houghton Co Airport.
Living with Houghton’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
138 frost-free days in zone 5b. The last frost comes by May 17 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. 20 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Houghton from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (66%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 28%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Houghton and its neighbors
Adams Township has the coldest January nights next door (7°, 1° colder). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
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 Houghton averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.0°).
A bigger shift than in 75% 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 Houghton compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Houghton’s place among Michigan’s.
Houghton weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Houghton’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23° | 8° | 1.9" | 3° – 25° |
| February | 27° | 7° | 1.2" | 4° – 30° |
| March | 37° | 16° | 1.4" | 17° – 41° |
| April | 49° | 28° | 2.3" | 32° – 46° |
| May | 63° | 40° | 2.9" | 46° – 57° |
| June | 73° | 49° | 3.0" | 57° – 66° |
| July | 78° | 54° | 3.1" | 59° – 71° |
| August | 76° | 54° | 2.9" | 59° – 69° |
| September | 68° | 47° | 3.4" | 51° – 63° |
| October | 54° | 36° | 3.3" | 40° – 50° |
| November | 40° | 26° | 2.2" | 24° – 41° |
| December | 28° | 15° | 1.7" | 12° – 30° |
| Year | 51° | 31° | 29.2" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 4° to 30°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Houghton’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 Houghton’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Hancock Houghton Co Airport, 6 miles from the town’s center, 200 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 Houghton’s climate
What is the weather like in Houghton?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 8°. Colder January nights than 96% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Houghton in winter?
February nights average 7°. About 175 nights a year reach 32° or below and 17 reach 0° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 4°.
How hot does it get in Houghton?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 54°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Hancock Houghton Co Airport).
When is the first and last frost in Houghton?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 17 and the first fall frost by October 1, about 138 frost-free days, at Hancock Houghton Co Airport.
What growing zone is Houghton in?
Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −14°.
What is the best time of year to visit Houghton?
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 Houghton getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 75% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Houghton.
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.