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Climate in Richmond Township · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Richmond Township gets about 197 inches of snow a winter, more than all but 14 U.S. towns

Sunny July days climb to about 78°. By July afternoons alone, it runs cooler than 96% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 1.7°, most of all in December. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from October to April, when means dip under 50°.

More snow than all but 14 U.S. towns#2Snowiest  of 684 in MI
Colder January nights than 97% of U.S. towns#9 coldest of 692 in MI
All MI rankings →

A year in Richmond Township at a glance

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

Jan23°6° 42" snow
Feb27°6° 37" snow
Mar37°15° 29" snow
Apr49°27° 18" snow
May64°38° Last frost ~May 22
Jun73°48° 1 day 90°+
Jul78°53° 1 day 90°+
Aug76°52° 1 day 90°+
Sep68°45° First frost ~Sep 29Wettest
Oct54°35° 5" snow
Nov now39°24° 24" snow
Dec27°13° 40" snow

What stands out about Richmond Township’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Richmond Township feels like

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

Winter
25° / 9°
49 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
50° / 26°
Last frost around May 22
Summer
76° / 51°
3 days reach 90°
Fall
53° / 35°
First frost around Sep 29
Best months to be outsideJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 129 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 22 and the first by September 29. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Marquette, MI, 9 miles from the town’s center, 160 ft higher.

189
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
7th most of 692 in Michigan
More freezing nights than all but 152 U.S. towns
29
nights at or below 0°
12th most of 692 in Michigan
More nights at or below 0° than 97% of U.S. towns
3
days that reach 90°
33rd fewest of 692 in Michigan
Fewer 90° days than 95% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
5aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 5a

The 2023 USDA map puts Richmond Township’s center in zone 5a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −19°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

31
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

1.1
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 197 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Marquette, MI, falls mostly in January and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 33 inches a year; September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 167 days a year.

33"
Rain + melted snow a year
65th driest of 692 in Michigan
Drier than 83% of U.S. towns
197"
Snow in a normal winter
2nd snowiest of 684 in Michigan
More snow than all but 14 U.S. towns
153 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
2nd most of 554 in Michigan
More days with snow on the ground than all but 23 U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

3.6"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

42"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Richmond Township

97% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.

9,218 heating degree daysMore heating than all but 95 U.S. towns
237 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 96% 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 Marquette, MI.

Living here

Living with Richmond Township’s climate

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

The garden window

129 frost-free days in zone 5a. The last frost comes by May 22 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 29.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 16 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Cold waves are 47% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Richmond Township from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Richmond Township and its neighbors

Tilden Township has the coldest January nights next door (5°, 2° colder) and Forsyth Township the hottest July afternoons (79°, 1° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Marquette Township: January low 9°, July high 76°Chocolay Township: January low 13°, July high 75°Harvey: January low 12°, July high 75°Marquette: January low 11°, July high 76°Skandia Township: January low 8°, July high 78°West Branch Township: January low 9°, July high 78°Wells Township: January low 6°, July high 80°West Branch Township: January low 5°, July high 79°Turin Township: January low 7°, July high 79°Ewing Township: January low 7°, July high 80°Ely Township: January low 4°, July high 77°Ishpeming: January low 5°, July high 77°Ishpeming Township: January low 7°, July high 77°West Ishpeming: January low 5°, July high 77°Negaunee: January low 6°, July high 77°Sands Township: January low 8°, July high 78°Forsyth Township: January low 6°, July high 79°Tilden Township: January low 5°, July high 78°Negaunee Township: January low 7°, July high 77°Richmond Township: January low 6°, July high 78°Richmond TownshipSands TownshipForsyth TownshipTilden TownshipNegaunee Township
ColderMilder4° to 13°
Tilden Township4.6° −1.6°
Richmond Township6.2°
Forsyth Township6.3° about the same
Negaunee Township7.1° about the same
Sands Township7.8° +1.6°

Climates most like Richmond 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
Richmond Township, MI6°78°33"197"
Lyndon, VT5°79°41"142"
Edwards, CO11°79°20"189"
Wilna, NY8°79°42"127"
Summit Park, UT19°79°30"153"

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 Richmond Township averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.8°).

+1.7°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 71% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.6°now 17°, was 14°
Spring+1.3°now 38°, was 37°
Summer+1.4°now 64°, was 62°
Fall+1.4°now 44°, was 43°

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 Richmond Township compares

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

Summer heat78° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns35th coolest of 692 in Michigan
Winter cold6° January low
Colder January nights than 97% of U.S. towns9th coldest of 692 in Michigan
Precipitation33" a year
Drier than 83% of U.S. towns65th driest of 692 in Michigan
Snow197" a winter
More snow than all but 14 U.S. towns2nd snowiest of 684 in Michigan
Hot days3 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 95% of U.S. towns33rd fewest of 692 in Michigan
Freezing nights189 a year
More freezing nights than all but 152 U.S. towns7th most of 692 in Michigan
Growing season129 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 98% of U.S. towns20th shortest of 692 in Michigan
Month by month

Richmond Township weather by month

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

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January23°6°1.7"42.1"18313° – 24°
February27°6°1.5"36.8"14283° – 29°
March37°15°1.9"29.4"143016° – 39°
April49°27°2.8"17.6"121630° – 45°
May64°38°3.2"1.4"13145° – 56°
June73°48°3.5"0.0"13057° – 66°
July78°53°3.6"0.0"12059° – 70°
August76°52°2.9"0.0"11060° – 68°
September68°45°3.6"0.1"13050° – 61°
October54°35°3.6"5.3"16338° – 50°
November39°24°2.4"24.2"151622° – 40°
December27°13°2.0"39.9"172911° – 29°
Year51°30°32.5"196.8"167153
Year to year

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 29°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Richmond 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 Richmond Township’s center.
  • Snow: Marquette, MI.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Marquette, MI, 9 miles from the town’s center, 160 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 Richmond Township’s climate

What is the weather like in Richmond Township?

A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 6°, and about 197 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 97% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Richmond Township in winter?

January nights average 6°. About 189 nights a year reach 32° or below and 29 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 3°.

How much snow does Richmond Township get?

About 197 inches in a normal winter at Marquette, MI, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 153 days a year.

How hot does it get in Richmond Township?

July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 53°. About 3 days a year reach 90° (Marquette, MI).

When is the first and last frost in Richmond Township?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 22 and the first fall frost by September 29, about 129 frost-free days, at Marquette, MI.

What growing zone is Richmond Township in?

Zone 5a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −19°.

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

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 71% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Richmond 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.