Walloon Lake gets about 112 inches of snow a winter, more than 98% of U.S. towns
The warmest part of a July day comes in at 80° on average. The gap between a January night and a July afternoon is 67°. Its July afternoons stay fresher than in 93% of U.S. towns. Tender plants can go out after about May 6; in half of years the first frost comes by October 20.
A year in Walloon Lake at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Walloon Lake’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Walloon Lake’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in Walloon Lake feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 166 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 6 and the first by October 20. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Petoskey, MI, 7 miles from the town’s center, 260 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Walloon Lake’s center in zone 5a: 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 112 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Boyne Falls, MI, falls mostly in January and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 35 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 147 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Walloon Lake
96% 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 Petoskey, MI.
Living with Walloon Lake’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
166 frost-free days in zone 5a. The last frost comes by May 6 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 20.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 3.8 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Walloon Lake from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (53%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 38%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Walloon Lake and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Walloon Lake yet.
Climates most like Walloon Lake’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walloon Lake, MI | 13° | 80° | 35" | 112" |
| Warsaw, NY | 15° | 79° | 38" | 109" |
| Burlington, VT | 10° | 81° | 38" | 86" |
| Beachwood, OH | 19° | 82° | 42" | 114" |
| Summit Park, UT | 19° | 79° | 30" | 153" |
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 Walloon Lake averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.2°).
A bigger shift than in 73% 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 Walloon Lake compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Walloon Lake’s place among Michigan’s.
Walloon Lake weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Walloon Lake’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Boyne Falls, MI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27° | 13° | 2.3" | 32.0" | 17 | 29 | 8° – 29° |
| February | 29° | 12° | 1.5" | 20.4" | 12 | 27 | 6° – 31° |
| March | 39° | 20° | 1.8" | 11.2" | 10 | 20 | 19° – 43° |
| April | 52° | 30° | 2.9" | 4.7" | 11 | 3 | 32° – 48° |
| May | 66° | 41° | 3.1" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 46° – 60° |
| June | 76° | 52° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 60° – 70° |
| July | 80° | 56° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 61° – 72° |
| August | 78° | 56° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| September | 70° | 49° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 54° – 64° |
| October | 57° | 39° | 4.3" | 0.7" | 15 | 0 | 43° – 54° |
| November | 43° | 30° | 3.0" | 11.4" | 14 | 8 | 30° – 44° |
| December | 33° | 21° | 2.6" | 31.2" | 16 | 21 | 18° – 35° |
| Year | 54° | 35° | 34.7" | 111.7" | 147 | 108 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 6° to 31°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Walloon Lake’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 Walloon Lake’s center.
- Snow: Boyne Falls, MI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Petoskey, MI, 7 miles from the town’s center, 260 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 Walloon Lake’s climate
What is the weather like in Walloon Lake?
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 112 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 93% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Walloon Lake in winter?
February nights average 12°. About 147 nights a year reach 32° or below and 9 reach 0° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 6°.
How much snow does Walloon Lake get?
About 112 inches in a normal winter at Boyne Falls, MI, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 108 days a year.
How hot does it get in Walloon Lake?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 56°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Petoskey, MI).
When is the first and last frost in Walloon Lake?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 6 and the first fall frost by October 20, about 166 frost-free days, at Petoskey, MI.
What growing zone is Walloon Lake in?
Zone 5a 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 Walloon Lake?
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 Walloon Lake getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 73% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Walloon Lake.
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.