Navigation Structures at White Lake Harbor · Photo: US Army Corps of Engineers · Public domainWhite River Township’s winters are colder and snowier than most of the U.S.
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 69 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in White River Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about White River Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with White River Township’s place in Michigan beside it.
What a year in White River Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 136 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 19 and the first by October 4. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Montague 4 Nw, MI, 2.2 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts White River Township’s center in zone 6b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −4°. 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 69 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Montague 4 Nw, MI, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 36 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 110 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in White River Township
95% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Montague 4 Nw, MI.
Living with White River Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
136 frost-free days in zone 6b. The last frost comes by May 19 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 4.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 1.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in White River Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (73%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 7%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →White River Township and its neighbors
Montague Township the hottest July afternoons (81°, 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 White River 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White River Township, MI | 18° | 79° | 36" | 69" |
| Hamlin, NY | 18° | 80° | 34" | 67" |
| Euclid, OH | 23° | 81° | 40" | 64" |
| DuBois, PA | 17° | 81° | 43" | 63" |
| Bennington, VT | 13° | 81° | 42" | 75" |
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 White River Township averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.0°).
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 White River Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with White River Township’s place among Michigan’s.
White River Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at White River Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Montague 4 Nw, MI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 18° | 2.2" | 26.0" | 10 | 25 | 15° – 34° |
| February | 33° | 19° | 1.9" | 13.8" | 7 | 21 | 15° – 35° |
| March | 42° | 26° | 2.1" | 6.7" | 8 | 9 | 25° – 48° |
| April | 54° | 35° | 3.7" | 1.7" | 10 | 1 | 36° – 50° |
| May | 66° | 45° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 61° |
| June | 75° | 55° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 59° – 71° |
| July | 79° | 60° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 64° – 76° |
| August | 78° | 60° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 63° – 74° |
| September | 71° | 52° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| October | 58° | 42° | 3.9" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 47° – 56° |
| November | 46° | 33° | 3.0" | 4.7" | 10 | 4 | 32° – 46° |
| December | 35° | 24° | 2.4" | 15.9" | 9 | 15 | 21° – 38° |
| Year | 56° | 39° | 35.8" | 68.9" | 110 | 74 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 25° to 48°. October is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where White River 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 White River Township’s center.
- Snow: Montague 4 Nw, MI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Montague 4 Nw, MI, 2.2 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 White River Township’s climate
What is the weather like in White River Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 69 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 68% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 95% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in White River Township in winter?
January nights average 18°. About 145 nights a year reach 32° or below and 4 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 15°.
How much snow does White River Township get?
About 69 inches in a normal winter at Montague 4 Nw, MI, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 74 days a year.
How hot does it get in White River Township?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 60°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Montague 4 Nw, MI).
When is the first and last frost in White River Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 19 and the first fall frost by October 4, about 136 frost-free days, at Montague 4 Nw, MI.
What growing zone is White River Township in?
Zone 6b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −4°.
What is the best time of year to visit White River 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 White River Township 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 White River 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.