Few U.S. towns have cooler summers than Thompson Township
Midwinter brings lows of about 11°. The gap between a January night and a July afternoon is 66°. In January, nights here are colder than in 92% of U.S. towns. Long walks are most pleasant from June to September, when afternoons reach 68–77°.
A year in Thompson Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Thompson Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Thompson Township’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in Thompson Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 154 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 9 and the first by October 10. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Manistique Wwtp, MI, 5 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Thompson Township’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°
About 33 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 Thompson 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 Manistique Wwtp, MI.
Living with Thompson Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
154 frost-free days in zone 5b. The last frost comes by May 9 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 10.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 156 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Thompson Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (78%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 11%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Thompson Township and its neighbors
Hiawatha Township has the coldest January nights next door (9°, 2° colder) and Hiawatha Township the hottest July afternoons (79°, 2° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what 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 Thompson Township averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.5°).
A bigger shift than in 58% 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 Thompson Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Thompson Township’s place among Michigan’s.
Thompson Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Thompson Township’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25° | 11° | 2.2" | 6° – 28° |
| February | 28° | 11° | 1.4" | 5° – 31° |
| March | 37° | 19° | 1.8" | 16° – 38° |
| April | 49° | 30° | 2.7" | 32° – 45° |
| May | 62° | 40° | 3.0" | 46° – 58° |
| June | 72° | 50° | 3.1" | 57° – 66° |
| July | 77° | 56° | 3.6" | 60° – 71° |
| August | 76° | 55° | 3.1" | 61° – 70° |
| September | 68° | 49° | 3.6" | 52° – 62° |
| October | 55° | 38° | 3.8" | 41° – 53° |
| November | 41° | 28° | 2.6" | 27° – 41° |
| December | 31° | 18° | 2.3" | 15° – 33° |
| Year | 52° | 34° | 33.1" |
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 Thompson 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 Thompson Township’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Manistique Wwtp, MI, 5 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 Thompson Township’s climate
What is the weather like in Thompson Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 11°. Colder January nights than 92% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Thompson Township in winter?
February nights average 11°. About 167 nights a year reach 32° or below and 19 reach 0° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 5°.
How hot does it get in Thompson Township?
July, with a typical high of 77°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Manistique Wwtp, MI.
When is the first and last frost in Thompson Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 9 and the first fall frost by October 10, about 154 frost-free days, at Manistique Wwtp, MI.
What growing zone is Thompson Township 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 Thompson 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 Thompson Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 58% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Thompson 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.