West Branch Township gets about 164 inches of snow a winter, more than all but 39 U.S. towns
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 78°. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in 96% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.6° more than in 1901–2000, led by December. Keep the boiler serviced for the months from October to April, which average under 50°.
A year in West Branch Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about West Branch Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with West Branch Township’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in West Branch Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 141 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 13 and the first by October 2. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Ki Sawyer Wwtp, MI, 5 miles from the town’s center, 180 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts West Branch 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°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 164 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Chatham Exp Farm 2, MI, falls mostly in January. 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 172 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in West Branch 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.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Ki Sawyer Wwtp, MI.
Living with West Branch Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
141 frost-free days in zone 5b. The last frost comes by May 13 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 2.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 10 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 43% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in West Branch Township from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →West Branch Township and its neighbors
Forsyth Township has the coldest January nights next door (6°, 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 West 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Branch Township, MI | 9° | 78° | 33" | 164" |
| Lyndon, VT | 5° | 79° | 41" | 142" |
| Wilna, NY | 8° | 79° | 42" | 127" |
| Summit Park, UT | 19° | 79° | 30" | 153" |
| Woodland Park, CO | 11° | 77° | 22" | 134" |
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 West Branch Township averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°).
A bigger shift than in 63% 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 West Branch Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with West Branch Township’s place among Michigan’s.
West Branch Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at West Branch Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Chatham Exp Farm 2, MI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24° | 9° | 2.0" | 45.6" | 20 | 30 | 5° – 26° |
| February | 28° | 9° | 1.6" | 29.7" | 14 | 28 | 5° – 30° |
| March | 37° | 17° | 1.8" | 18.6" | 12 | 26 | 16° – 40° |
| April | 49° | 28° | 2.7" | 11.8" | 11 | 8 | 31° – 46° |
| May | 64° | 39° | 3.1" | 0.6" | 13 | 0 | 45° – 56° |
| June | 73° | 49° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| July | 78° | 54° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 60° – 71° |
| August | 77° | 54° | 2.8" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| September | 68° | 47° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| October | 55° | 36° | 3.6" | 2.5" | 17 | 1 | 40° – 51° |
| November | 41° | 26° | 2.6" | 18.9" | 15 | 11 | 25° – 41° |
| December | 29° | 16° | 2.2" | 36.3" | 17 | 25 | 13° – 31° |
| Year | 52° | 32° | 33.1" | 164.0" | 172 | 129 |
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 30°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where West 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 West Branch Township’s center.
- Snow: Chatham Exp Farm 2, MI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Ki Sawyer Wwtp, MI, 5 miles from the town’s center, 180 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 West Branch Township’s climate
What is the weather like in West Branch Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 164 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 95% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in West Branch Township in winter?
February nights average 9°. About 178 nights a year reach 32° or below and 18 reach 0° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 5°.
How much snow does West Branch Township get?
About 164 inches in a normal winter at Chatham Exp Farm 2, MI, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 129 days a year.
How hot does it get in West Branch Township?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 54°. About 3 days a year reach 90° (Ki Sawyer Wwtp, MI).
When is the first and last frost in West Branch Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 13 and the first fall frost by October 2, about 141 frost-free days, at Ki Sawyer Wwtp, MI.
What growing zone is West Branch 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 West Branch 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 West Branch Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 63% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in West 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.