Pon-she-wa-ing gets about 120 inches of snow a winter, more than all but 139 U.S. towns
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 79°. The seasons are far apart: from a winter night to a summer afternoon the average spans 67°. Its July afternoons stay fresher than in 95% of U.S. towns. Garden planting can start around May 6; autumn frost returns near October 20.
A year in Pon-she-wa-ing at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Pon-she-wa-ing’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Pon-she-wa-ing’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in Pon-she-wa-ing feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 166 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 6 and the first by October 20. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Petoskey, MI, 9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Pon-she-wa-ing’s center in zone 5a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −16°. 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 120 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Petoskey Ncmc, MI, falls mostly in January and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 32 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 172 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Pon-she-wa-ing
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 Petoskey, MI.
Living with Pon-she-wa-ing’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
166 frost-free days in zone 5a. The last frost comes by May 6 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 20.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Pon-she-wa-ing from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (72%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 23%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Pon-she-wa-ing and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Pon-she-wa-ing yet.
Climates most like Pon-she-wa-ing’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pon-she-wa-ing, MI | 12° | 79° | 32" | 120" |
| Warsaw, NY | 15° | 79° | 38" | 109" |
| Summit Park, UT | 19° | 79° | 30" | 153" |
| Burlington, VT | 10° | 81° | 38" | 86" |
| Woodland Park, CO | 11° | 77° | 22" | 134" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Pon-she-wa-ing averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.4°).
A bigger shift than in 82% 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 Pon-she-wa-ing compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Pon-she-wa-ing’s place among Michigan’s.
Pon-she-wa-ing weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Pon-she-wa-ing’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Petoskey Ncmc, MI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27° | 12° | 1.9" | 34.6" | 19 | 29 | 7° – 29° |
| February | 29° | 12° | 1.3" | 20.4" | 15 | 26 | 5° – 31° |
| March | 39° | 19° | 1.8" | 13.1" | 11 | 17 | 18° – 42° |
| April | 51° | 30° | 2.8" | 6.4" | 13 | 5 | 32° – 48° |
| May | 65° | 41° | 3.0" | 0.2" | 14 | 0 | 46° – 59° |
| June | 75° | 51° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| July | 79° | 56° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 60° – 71° |
| August | 77° | 55° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| September | 70° | 48° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| October | 56° | 39° | 4.1" | 0.4" | 18 | 0 | 43° – 54° |
| November | 43° | 30° | 2.8" | 11.5" | 17 | 7 | 30° – 43° |
| December | 33° | 21° | 2.2" | 33.6" | 20 | 22 | 18° – 36° |
| Year | 54° | 34° | 32.3" | 120.2" | 172 | 106 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 5° to 31°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Pon-she-wa-ing’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 Pon-she-wa-ing’s center.
- Snow: Petoskey Ncmc, MI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Petoskey, 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 Pon-she-wa-ing’s climate
What is the weather like in Pon-she-wa-ing?
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 120 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 91% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 95% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Pon-she-wa-ing in winter?
February nights average 12°. About 147 nights a year reach 32° or below and 9 reach 0° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 5°.
How much snow does Pon-she-wa-ing get?
About 120 inches in a normal winter at Petoskey Ncmc, MI, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 106 days a year.
How hot does it get in Pon-she-wa-ing?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 56°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Petoskey, MI).
When is the first and last frost in Pon-she-wa-ing?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 6 and the first fall frost by October 20, about 166 frost-free days, at Petoskey, MI.
What growing zone is Pon-she-wa-ing in?
Zone 5a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −16°.
What is the best time of year to visit Pon-she-wa-ing?
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 Pon-she-wa-ing getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 82% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Pon-she-wa-ing.
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.