Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Lake Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
032-1 POINT BETSIE LIGHT (4020329203)Photo: Myron Reynard · CC BY-SA 2.0
Climate in Lake Township · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Lake Township 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.

More snow than 97% of U.S. towns#85Snowiest  of 718 in MI
Cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns#22Coolest summers  of 727 in MI
All MI rankings →

A year in Lake Township at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan28°17° 27" snow
Feb30°17° 19" snow
Mar39°24° 13" snow
Apr50°33° 3" snow
May63°43° Last frost ~May 2
Jun73°54°
Jul77°60° 1 day 90°+
Aug76°59°
Sep69°52°
Oct56°42° First frost ~Oct 26Wettest
Nov now44°32° 6" snow
Dec33°24° 24" snow

What stands out about Lake Township’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Lake Township’s place in Michigan beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Lake Township feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
30° / 19°
35 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
51° / 33°
Last frost around May 2
Summer
75° / 57°
90° days are rare
Fall
56° / 42°
First frost around Oct 26
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

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, 5 miles from the town’s center, 350 ft higher.

138
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
481st most of 727 in Michigan
More freezing nights than 75% of U.S. towns
2
nights at or below 0°
704th most of 727 in Michigan
More nights at or below 0° than 52% of U.S. towns
<1
days that reach 90°
4th fewest of 727 in Michigan
Fewer 90° days than 98% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
6bUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 6b

The 2023 USDA map puts Lake Township’s center in zone 6b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −3°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

29
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

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.

34"
Rain + melted snow a year
244th driest of 727 in Michigan
Drier than 80% of U.S. towns
93"
Snow in a normal winter
85th snowiest of 718 in Michigan
More snow than 97% of U.S. towns
107 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
46th most of 582 in Michigan
More days with snow on the ground than 97% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.1"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

27"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Lake Township

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.

7,107 heating degree daysMore heating than 89% of U.S. towns
396 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 91% of U.S. towns

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 here

Living with Lake Township’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

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.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 42 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Lake Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (69%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 25%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Lake Township and its neighbors

Platte Township has the coldest January nights next door (15°, 3° colder) and Benzonia Township the hottest July afternoons (80°, 3° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Joyfield Township: January low 15°, July high 79°Homestead Township: January low 15°, July high 80°Weldon Township: January low 15°, July high 80°Almira Township: January low 14°, July high 80°Empire Township: January low 16°, July high 78°Inland Township: January low 14°, July high 80°Frankfort: January low 17°, July high 77°Gilmore Township: January low 17°, July high 78°Elberta: January low 17°, July high 77°Crystal Downs Country Club: January low 17°, July high 77°Benzonia Township: January low 15°, July high 80°Platte Township: January low 15°, July high 79°Crystal Lake Township: January low 16°, July high 78°Lake Township: January low 17°, July high 77°Lake TownshipCrystal Downs Country ClubBenzonia TownshipPlatte TownshipCrystal Lake Township
ColderMilder14° to 17°
Platte Township14.7° −2.5°
Benzonia Township15.4° −1.8°
Crystal Lake Township16.1° −1.1°
Lake Township17.2°
Crystal Downs Country Club17.2° about the same

Climates most like Lake 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.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Lake Township, MI17°77°34"93"
Greece, NY19°79°34"102"
Ashtabula, OH22°80°41"90"
Summit Park, UT19°79°30"153"
Winooski, VT10°81°39"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.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Lake Township averaged 2.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.6°).

+2.5°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in all but 93 U.S. towns.

Winter+3.0°now 25°, was 22°
Spring+2.5°now 42°, was 39°
Summer+2.4°now 66°, was 64°
Fall+1.9°now 49°, was 47°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Lake Township compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Lake Township’s place among Michigan’s.

Summer heat77° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns22nd coolest of 727 in Michigan
Winter cold17° January low
Colder January nights than 74% of U.S. towns475th coldest of 727 in Michigan
Precipitation34" a year
Drier than 80% of U.S. towns244th driest of 727 in Michigan
Snow93" a winter
More snow than 97% of U.S. towns85th snowiest of 718 in Michigan
Hot days<1 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 98% of U.S. towns4th fewest of 727 in Michigan
Freezing nights138 a year
More freezing nights than 75% of U.S. towns481st most of 727 in Michigan
Growing season175 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 64% of U.S. towns600th shortest of 727 in Michigan
Month by month

Lake Township weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Lake Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Frankfort 2ne, MI. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January28°17°2.2"27.2"152813° – 31°
February30°17°1.5"19.4"112711° – 33°
March39°24°1.9"12.8"92221° – 46°
April50°33°3.0"3.3"10334° – 48°
May63°43°3.2"0.1"11045° – 59°
June73°54°3.0"0.0"9058° – 69°
July77°60°3.0"0.0"9062° – 74°
August76°59°3.0"0.0"9063° – 72°
September69°52°3.6"0.0"11055° – 65°
October56°42°4.1"0.3"13045° – 56°
November44°32°2.9"6.4"12631° – 45°
December33°24°2.3"23.5"132021° – 37°
Year53°38°33.6"93.0"133107
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 21° to 46°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Lake 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 Lake Township’s center.
  • Snow: Frankfort 2ne, MI.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Frankfort 2ne, MI, 5 miles from the town’s center, 350 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 Lake Township’s climate

What is the weather like in Lake Township?

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 74% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Lake Township 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 Lake Township 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 Lake Township?

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 Lake Township?

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 Lake Township in?

Zone 6b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −3°.

What is the best time of year to visit Lake 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 Lake Township getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than all but 93 U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Lake Township.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.