Midwinter lows in Clayton sink below those of 95% of U.S. towns
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 81°. By July afternoons alone, it runs cooler than 86% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.0° rise. Long walks are most pleasant from May to September, when afternoons reach 69–81°.
A year in Clayton at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Clayton’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Clayton’s place in Wisconsin beside it.
What a year in Clayton feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 156 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 3 and the first by October 7. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Gays Mills, WI, 6 miles from the town’s center, 330 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Clayton’s center in zone 5a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −20°. 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 38 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Gays Mills, WI, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 38 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 99 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Clayton
92% 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 Gays Mills, WI.
Living with Clayton’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
156 frost-free days in zone 5a. The last frost comes by May 3 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 7.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Clayton from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (55%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 21%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Clayton and its neighbors
Haney the hottest July afternoons (83°, 1° 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 Clayton’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton, WI | 9° | 81° | 38" | 38" |
| Colchester, VT | 10° | 81° | 38" | 50" |
| Elko New Market, MN | 7° | 82° | 34" | 41" |
| Plattsburgh, NY | 9° | 81° | 35" | 50" |
| Webster City, IA | 9° | 83° | 36" | 33" |
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 Clayton averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°).
A smaller 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 Clayton compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Clayton’s place among Wisconsin’s.
Clayton weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Clayton’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Gays Mills, WI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25° | 9° | 1.2" | 10.8" | 8 | 23 | 7° – 30° |
| February | 31° | 13° | 1.2" | 7.8" | 6 | 23 | 8° – 34° |
| March | 43° | 24° | 2.1" | 5.9" | 8 | 10 | 26° – 49° |
| April | 57° | 35° | 3.9" | 1.6" | 9 | 1 | 37° – 52° |
| May | 69° | 46° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 51° – 65° |
| June | 78° | 57° | 5.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| July | 81° | 61° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 65° – 77° |
| August | 80° | 59° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 64° – 75° |
| September | 72° | 50° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 55° – 67° |
| October | 59° | 38° | 2.8" | 0.1" | 8 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 44° | 27° | 2.1" | 1.9" | 7 | 2 | 27° – 46° |
| December | 31° | 16° | 1.5" | 9.7" | 7 | 15 | 9° – 34° |
| Year | 56° | 36° | 37.9" | 37.8" | 99 | 75 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 8° to 34°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Clayton’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 Clayton’s center.
- Snow: Gays Mills, WI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Gays Mills, WI, 6 miles from the town’s center, 330 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 Clayton’s climate
What is the weather like in Clayton?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 38 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 95% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 86% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Clayton in winter?
January nights average 9°. About 167 nights a year reach 32° or below and 27 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 7°.
How much snow does Clayton get?
About 38 inches in a normal winter at Gays Mills, WI, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 75 days a year.
How hot does it get in Clayton?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 61°. About 10 days a year reach 90° (Gays Mills, WI).
When is the first and last frost in Clayton?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 3 and the first fall frost by October 7, about 156 frost-free days, at Gays Mills, WI.
What growing zone is Clayton in?
Zone 5a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −20°.
What is the best time of year to visit Clayton?
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 Clayton getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 77% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Clayton.
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.