West Traverse Township gets about 124 inches of snow a winter, more than all but 130 U.S. towns
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 76°. The year swings widely: the coldest month’s nights and the warmest month’s afternoons are 64° apart. Its July afternoons stay fresher than in 98% of U.S. towns. The heating season runs October to April: each of those months averages under 50°.
A year in West Traverse Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about West Traverse Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with West Traverse Township’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in West Traverse Township 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, 6 miles from the town’s center, 230 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts West Traverse Township’s center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −12°. 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 124 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Petoskey, MI, falls mostly in January. 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 161 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in West Traverse 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 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 West Traverse Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
166 frost-free days in zone 5b. 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. 21 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in West Traverse Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (62%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 31%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →West Traverse Township and its neighbors
Pleasantview Township has the coldest January nights next door (12°, 1° colder) and Pleasantview Township the hottest July afternoons (78°, 2° warmer). 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 Traverse 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 Traverse Township, MI | 13° | 76° | 35" | 124" |
| Warsaw, NY | 15° | 79° | 38" | 109" |
| Summit Park, UT | 19° | 79° | 30" | 153" |
| Waterbury, VT | 7° | 79° | 43" | 126" |
| Minocqua, WI | 3° | 77° | 33" | 99" |
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 Traverse Township averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.4°).
A bigger shift than in 77% 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 Traverse Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with West Traverse Township’s place among Michigan’s.
West Traverse Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at West Traverse Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Petoskey, MI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26° | 13° | 2.1" | 39.3" | 18 | 7° – 28° |
| February | 28° | 12° | 1.5" | 27.2" | 14 | 5° – 31° |
| March | 37° | 19° | 1.9" | 12.2" | 11 | 18° – 42° |
| April | 50° | 30° | 2.8" | 4.5" | 12 | 32° – 47° |
| May | 63° | 41° | 3.1" | 0.1" | 12 | 45° – 59° |
| June | 72° | 52° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 11 | 58° – 68° |
| July | 76° | 57° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 10 | 60° – 70° |
| August | 75° | 56° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 11 | 61° – 69° |
| September | 68° | 49° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 12 | 53° – 64° |
| October | 55° | 40° | 4.4" | 0.3" | 17 | 43° – 54° |
| November | 42° | 30° | 3.0" | 9.4" | 17 | 29° – 42° |
| December | 32° | 21° | 2.5" | 30.6" | 17 | 18° – 35° |
| Year | 52° | 35° | 34.5" | 123.6" | 161 |
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 West Traverse 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 Traverse Township’s center.
- Snow: Petoskey, MI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Petoskey, MI, 6 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 West Traverse Township’s climate
What is the weather like in West Traverse Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 124 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in West Traverse Township 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 5°.
How much snow does West Traverse Township get?
About 124 inches in a normal winter at Petoskey, MI, most of it in January.
How hot does it get in West Traverse Township?
July, with a typical high of 76° and a low of 57°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Petoskey, MI).
When is the first and last frost in West Traverse Township?
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 West Traverse Township in?
Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −12°.
What is the best time of year to visit West Traverse 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 West Traverse Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 77% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in West Traverse 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.