Few U.S. towns have cooler summers than Portage Township
In January the night’s low is typically 10°. Temperatures cover 69° across the year, low to high. Winter nights are cold: in January they are colder than in 94% of U.S. towns. Tender plants can go out after about May 26; in half of years the first frost comes by September 30.
A year in Portage Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Portage Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Portage Township’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in Portage Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 127 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 26 and the first by September 30. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Engadine Mdot, MI, 10 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Portage Township’s center in zone 5a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −17°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
About 34 inches of rain a year
October is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Portage Township
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 Engadine Mdot, MI.
Living with Portage Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
127 frost-free days in zone 5a. The last frost comes by May 26 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 30.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 52 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Portage Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (86%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 10%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Portage Township and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Portage Township in January and July, closer than 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 Portage Township averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°).
A bigger shift than in 56% 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 Portage Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Portage Township’s place among Michigan’s.
Portage Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Portage Township’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24° | 10° | 2.1" | 6° – 27° |
| February | 27° | 9° | 1.7" | 3° – 31° |
| March | 37° | 17° | 1.9" | 15° – 38° |
| April | 49° | 29° | 2.5" | 31° – 45° |
| May | 63° | 40° | 2.9" | 45° – 58° |
| June | 73° | 50° | 3.1" | 58° – 66° |
| July | 78° | 55° | 3.6" | 59° – 71° |
| August | 76° | 54° | 3.0" | 61° – 69° |
| September | 67° | 48° | 3.7" | 51° – 62° |
| October | 54° | 37° | 4.0" | 41° – 52° |
| November | 41° | 27° | 2.9" | 27° – 40° |
| December | 30° | 17° | 2.5" | 13° – 33° |
| Year | 52° | 33° | 33.9" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 3° to 31°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Portage 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 Portage Township’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Engadine Mdot, MI, 10 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 Portage Township’s climate
What is the weather like in Portage Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 10°. Colder January nights than 94% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Portage Township in winter?
February nights average 9°. About 193 nights a year reach 32° or below and 27 reach 0° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 3°.
How hot does it get in Portage Township?
July, with a typical high of 78°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Engadine Mdot, MI.
When is the first and last frost in Portage Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 26 and the first fall frost by September 30, about 127 frost-free days, at Engadine Mdot, MI.
What growing zone is Portage Township in?
Zone 5a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −17°.
What is the best time of year to visit Portage Township?
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 Portage Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 56% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Portage 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.