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Camp Five FarmsteadCamp Five Farmstead · Photo: Jeff the quiet · CC0
Climate in Laona · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Laona gets about 80 inches of snow a winter, more than 95% of U.S. towns

A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 80 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

More snow than 95% of U.S. towns#8Snowiest  of 378 in WI
Colder January nights than all but 137 U.S. towns#18 coldest of 378 in WI
All WI rankings →

A year in Laona at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan22°4° 16" snow
Feb27°5° 13" snow
Mar38°15° 14" snow
Apr51°27° 10" snow
May65°39° Last frost ~May 19
Jun74°49° Wettest
Jul78°53°
Aug76°52°
Sep67°45° First frost ~Sep 29
Oct54°33°
Nov now38°22° 9" snow
Dec27°11° 16" snow

What stands out about Laona’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Laona’s place in Wisconsin beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Laona feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
25° / 7°
23 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
52° / 27°
Last frost around May 19
Summer
76° / 51°
90° days are rare
Fall
53° / 33°
First frost around Sep 29
Best months to be outsideJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 131 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 19 and the first by September 29. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Laona 6 Sw, WI, 5 miles from the town’s center, 110 ft higher.

186
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
8th most of 378 in Wisconsin
More freezing nights than all but 181 U.S. towns
34
nights at or below 0°
30th most of 378 in Wisconsin
More nights at or below 0° than 98% of U.S. towns
<1
days that reach 90°
The fewest of 378 in Wisconsin
Fewer 90° days than all but 100 U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
4bUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 4b

The 2023 USDA map puts Laona’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −23°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

31
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 80 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Laona 6 Sw, WI, falls mostly in January and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 33 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 142 days a year.

33"
Rain + melted snow a year
53rd driest of 378 in Wisconsin
Drier than 83% of U.S. towns
80"
Snow in a normal winter
8th snowiest of 378 in Wisconsin
More snow than 95% of U.S. towns
136 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
4th most of 352 in Wisconsin
More days with snow on the ground than all but 60 U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.3"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

16"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Laona

98% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.

9,331 heating degree daysMore heating than all but 75 U.S. towns
146 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 98% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Laona 6 Sw, WI.

Living here

Living with Laona’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

131 frost-free days in zone 4b. 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 Sep 29.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 118 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Cold waves are 81% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Laona from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Laona and its neighbors

Every town next door is within a degree of Laona in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Silver Cliff: January low 5°, July high 79°Goodman: January low 4°, July high 79°Nashville: January low 3°, July high 78°Crandon: January low 3°, July high 78°Crandon: January low 3°, July high 77°Ross: January low 3°, July high 78°Townsend: January low 5°, July high 79°Lakewood: January low 5°, July high 79°Fence: January low 3°, July high 78°Wolf River: January low 5°, July high 78°Hiles: January low 3°, July high 77°Popple River: January low 3°, July high 78°Alvin: January low 3°, July high 77°Blackwell: January low 4°, July high 78°Lincoln: January low 3°, July high 77°Caswell: January low 3°, July high 78°Wabeno: January low 4°, July high 78°Armstrong Creek: January low 4°, July high 78°Freedom: January low 4°, July high 78°Argonne: January low 3°, July high 78°Laona: January low 4°, July high 78°LaonaBlackwellLincolnCaswellWabenoArmstrong CreekFreedomArgonne
ColderMilder3° to 5°
Argonne2.9° about the same
Caswell3.2° about the same
Lincoln3.3° about the same
Laona3.5°
Armstrong Creek3.5° about the same
Freedom3.9° about the same
Blackwell4.1° about the same
Wabeno4.4° about the same

Climates most like Laona’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.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Laona, WI4°78°33"80"
Hermantown, MN2°77°31"90"
Beekmantown, NY9°80°35"80"
Presque Isle, ME2°77°41"98"
St. Johnsbury, VT5°79°41"87"

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.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Laona averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.3°).

+1.7°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 74% of U.S. towns.

Winter+3.1°now 16°, was 13°
Spring+1.4°now 39°, was 38°
Summer+1.0°now 64°, was 63°
Fall+1.4°now 43°, was 42°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Laona compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Laona’s place among Wisconsin’s.

Summer heat78° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns12th coolest of 378 in Wisconsin
Winter cold4° January low
Colder January nights than all but 137 U.S. towns18th coldest of 378 in Wisconsin
Precipitation33" a year
Drier than 83% of U.S. towns53rd driest of 378 in Wisconsin
Snow80" a winter
More snow than 95% of U.S. towns8th snowiest of 378 in Wisconsin
Hot days<1 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than all but 100 U.S. townsThe fewest of 378 in Wisconsin
Freezing nights186 a year
More freezing nights than all but 181 U.S. towns8th most of 378 in Wisconsin
Growing season131 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 98% of U.S. towns14th shortest of 377 in Wisconsin
Month by month

Laona weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Laona’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Laona 6 Sw, WI. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January22°4°1.2"16.4"12311° – 23°
February27°5°1.1"12.6"9293° – 29°
March38°15°1.8"13.7"102717° – 42°
April51°27°2.8"9.5"131131° – 47°
May65°39°3.6"0.8"13045° – 58°
June74°49°4.3"0.0"12058° – 66°
July78°53°3.9"0.0"12060° – 70°
August76°52°3.5"0.0"11059° – 68°
September67°45°3.7"0.0"12049° – 62°
October54°33°3.3"2.3"13137° – 50°
November38°22°2.0"9.3"111120° – 40°
December27°11°1.5"15.5"12267° – 29°
Year51°30°32.7"80.1"142136
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 3° to 29°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Laona’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 Laona’s center.
  • Snow: Laona 6 Sw, WI.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Laona 6 Sw, WI, 5 miles from the town’s center, 110 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 Laona’s climate

What is the weather like in Laona?

A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 80 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than all but 137 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Laona in winter?

January nights average 4°. About 186 nights a year reach 32° or below and 34 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 1°.

How much snow does Laona get?

About 80 inches in a normal winter at Laona 6 Sw, WI, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 136 days a year.

How hot does it get in Laona?

July, with a typical high of 78°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Laona 6 Sw, WI.

When is the first and last frost in Laona?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 19 and the first fall frost by September 29, about 131 frost-free days, at Laona 6 Sw, WI.

What growing zone is Laona in?

Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −23°.

What is the best time of year to visit Laona?

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 Laona getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 74% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Laona.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.