Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0South Range sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for July heat
January nights here settle around 7°. Winter nights are cold: in January they are colder than in 96% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.7° rise. The heating season runs October to April: each of those months averages under 50°.
A year in South Range at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about South Range’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with South Range’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in South Range feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 138 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 17 and the first by October 1. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Hancock Houghton Co Airport, 10 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts South Range’s center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −15°. 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 30 inches of rain a year
September is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in South Range
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 Hancock Houghton Co Airport.
Living with South Range’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
138 frost-free days in zone 5b. The last frost comes by May 17 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 1.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 1.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in South Range from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (66%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 28%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →South Range and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around South Range yet.
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 South Range averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+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 Range compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with South Range’s place among Michigan’s.
South Range weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at South Range’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22° | 7° | 2.0" | 2° – 24° |
| February | 26° | 7° | 1.3" | 3° – 29° |
| March | 36° | 15° | 1.5" | 16° – 40° |
| April | 48° | 27° | 2.3" | 31° – 46° |
| May | 63° | 39° | 3.0" | 45° – 57° |
| June | 73° | 49° | 3.2" | 57° – 66° |
| July | 77° | 54° | 3.4" | 59° – 70° |
| August | 75° | 53° | 3.0" | 58° – 68° |
| September | 67° | 46° | 3.5" | 50° – 63° |
| October | 53° | 35° | 3.4" | 39° – 49° |
| November | 38° | 24° | 2.2" | 23° – 40° |
| December | 27° | 14° | 1.8" | 11° – 29° |
| Year | 50° | 31° | 30.3" |
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°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where South Range’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 Range’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Hancock Houghton Co Airport, 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 South Range’s climate
What is the weather like in South Range?
A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 7°. Colder January nights than 96% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in South Range in winter?
February nights average 7°. About 175 nights a year reach 32° or below and 17 reach 0° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 3°.
How hot does it get in South Range?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 54°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Hancock Houghton Co Airport).
When is the first and last frost in South Range?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 17 and the first fall frost by October 1, about 138 frost-free days, at Hancock Houghton Co Airport.
What growing zone is South Range in?
Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −15°.
What is the best time of year to visit South Range?
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 South Range 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 Range.
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.