South Branch Township gets about 93 inches of snow a winter, more than 97% of U.S. towns
Midsummer highs settle at about 81°. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in 86% of U.S. towns. The latest 30-year average runs 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000’s, with February up the most. Keep the boiler serviced for the months from October to April, which average under 50°.
A year in South Branch Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about South Branch Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with South Branch Township’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in South Branch Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 119 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 28 and the first by September 25. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Wellston 1n, MI, 10 miles from the town’s center, 230 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts South Branch Township’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 93 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Wellston Tippy Dam, MI, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 36 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 139 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in South Branch Township
96% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Wellston 1n, MI.
Living with South Branch Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
119 frost-free days in zone 5b. The last frost comes by May 28 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 25.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 63 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in South Branch Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (57%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 30%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →South Branch Township and its neighbors
Henderson Township has the coldest January nights next door (12°, 2° colder). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like South Branch 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.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Branch Township, MI | 14° | 81° | 36" | 93" |
| Royalton, NY | 17° | 81° | 37" | 95" |
| Shelburne, VT | 11° | 82° | 38" | 88" |
| La Porte, IN | 17° | 83° | 40" | 65" |
| North Adams, MA | 13° | 81° | 44" | 77" |
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 South Branch Township averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.1°).
A bigger shift than in 74% 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 South Branch Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with South Branch Township’s place among Michigan’s.
South Branch Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at South Branch Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Wellston Tippy Dam, MI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 14° | 2.5" | 28.6" | 16 | 29 | 11° – 31° |
| February | 31° | 14° | 1.8" | 23.0" | 12 | 28 | 9° – 33° |
| March | 42° | 21° | 2.2" | 9.2" | 10 | 23 | 21° – 46° |
| April | 55° | 31° | 3.4" | 2.0" | 11 | 4 | 35° – 49° |
| May | 68° | 42° | 3.5" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 47° – 61° |
| June | 77° | 52° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 60° – 71° |
| July | 81° | 56° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 63° – 74° |
| August | 79° | 55° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| September | 72° | 47° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| October | 58° | 38° | 4.2" | 0.1" | 14 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 44° | 29° | 3.2" | 5.8" | 13 | 6 | 29° – 43° |
| December | 33° | 20° | 2.5" | 23.8" | 15 | 21 | 18° – 36° |
| Year | 56° | 35° | 36.0" | 92.6" | 139 | 110 |
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 10°.
Where South Branch 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 South Branch Township’s center.
- Snow: Wellston Tippy Dam, MI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Wellston 1n, MI, 10 miles from the town’s center, 230 ft lower; 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 South Branch Township’s climate
What is the weather like in South Branch Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 93 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 87% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 86% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in South Branch Township in winter?
February nights average 14°. About 171 nights a year reach 32° or below and 14 reach 0° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 9°.
How much snow does South Branch Township get?
About 93 inches in a normal winter at Wellston Tippy Dam, MI, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 110 days a year.
How hot does it get in South Branch Township?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 56°. About 8 days a year reach 90° (Wellston 1n, MI).
When is the first and last frost in South Branch Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 28 and the first fall frost by September 25, about 119 frost-free days, at Wellston 1n, MI.
What growing zone is South Branch Township 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 South Branch 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 South Branch Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 74% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in South Branch 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.