Newton’s winters are colder and snowier than most of the U.S.
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 35 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Newton at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Newton’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Newton’s place in Wisconsin beside it.
What a year in Newton feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 171 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first by October 20. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Manitowoc, WI, 6 miles from the town’s center, 140 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Newton’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 35 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Manitowoc, WI, falls mostly in February and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 32 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 104 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Newton
95% 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 Manitowoc, WI.
Living with Newton’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
171 frost-free days in zone 5b. The last frost comes by Apr 30 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.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Newton from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (48%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 22%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Newton and its neighbors
Liberty has the coldest January nights next door (11°, 2° colder) and Liberty the hottest July afternoons (80°, 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 Newton’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newton, WI | 13° | 78° | 32" | 35" |
| Southport, NY | 15° | 80° | 38" | 42" |
| Alpena, MI | 14° | 78° | 31" | 59" |
| Oakdale, MN | 7° | 82° | 33" | 40" |
| Milton, VT | 10° | 80° | 40" | 50" |
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 Newton averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.1°).
A bigger shift than in 64% 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 Newton compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Newton’s place among Wisconsin’s.
Newton weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Newton’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Manitowoc, WI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27° | 13° | 1.6" | 7.8" | 8 | 9° – 31° |
| February | 30° | 16° | 1.3" | 10.0" | 7 | 12° – 33° |
| March | 40° | 25° | 1.9" | 3.2" | 7 | 25° – 45° |
| April | 51° | 34° | 3.3" | 1.4" | 9 | 35° – 48° |
| May | 62° | 44° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 47° – 59° |
| June | 73° | 54° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 10 | 60° – 68° |
| July | 78° | 60° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 10 | 64° – 74° |
| August | 77° | 59° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 9 | 63° – 73° |
| September | 70° | 52° | 2.7" | 0.0" | 9 | 55° – 65° |
| October | 57° | 41° | 3.0" | 0.2" | 10 | 45° – 54° |
| November | 44° | 30° | 2.2" | 0.9" | 8 | 28° – 45° |
| December | 32° | 20° | 1.7" | 11.1" | 7 | 14° – 36° |
| Year | 53° | 37° | 32.4" | 34.6" | 104 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 9° to 31°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Newton’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 Newton’s center.
- Snow: Manitowoc, WI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Manitowoc, WI, 6 miles from the town’s center, 140 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 Newton’s climate
What is the weather like in Newton?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 35 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Newton in winter?
January nights average 13°. About 139 nights a year reach 32° or below and 11 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 9°.
How much snow does Newton get?
About 35 inches in a normal winter at Manitowoc, WI, most of it in February and December.
How hot does it get in Newton?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 60°. About 3 days a year reach 90° (Manitowoc, WI).
When is the first and last frost in Newton?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 30 and the first fall frost by October 20, about 171 frost-free days, at Manitowoc, WI.
What growing zone is Newton 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 Newton?
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 Newton getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 64% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Newton.
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.