Winter nights in Russell are colder than in 93% of U.S. towns
July afternoons average 81°. The gap between a January night and a July afternoon is 70°. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in 89% of U.S. towns. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly May 3 to October 10.
A year in Russell at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Russell’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Russell’s place in Wisconsin beside it.
What a year in Russell feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 159 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 3 and the first by October 10. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Plymouth Wwtp, WI, 11 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Russell’s center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −14°. 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 45 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Plymouth Wwtp, WI, falls mostly in January. 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 121 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Russell
94% 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 Plymouth Wwtp, WI.
Living with Russell’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
159 frost-free days in zone 5b. 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 10.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 0.4 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Russell from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (42%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 24%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Russell and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Russell in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Russell’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell, WI | 11° | 81° | 33" | 45" |
| Plattsburgh, NY | 9° | 81° | 35" | 50" |
| Lakeville, MN | 7° | 82° | 33" | 41" |
| Clear Lake, IA | 7° | 82° | 36" | 44" |
| Colchester, VT | 10° | 81° | 38" | 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 Russell averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.2°).
A bigger shift than in 60% 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 Russell compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Russell’s place among Wisconsin’s.
Russell weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Russell’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Plymouth Wwtp, WI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26° | 11° | 1.4" | 12.4" | 9 | 24 | 7° – 30° |
| February | 29° | 13° | 1.2" | 11.0" | 9 | 22 | 10° – 32° |
| March | 41° | 23° | 1.9" | 5.9" | 9 | 10 | 24° – 46° |
| April | 54° | 34° | 3.3" | 2.1" | 11 | 1 | 35° – 49° |
| May | 66° | 44° | 3.7" | 0.2" | 13 | 0 | 49° – 62° |
| June | 76° | 55° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| July | 81° | 59° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 64° – 76° |
| August | 78° | 58° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| September | 72° | 50° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| October | 58° | 39° | 2.9" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 44° | 28° | 2.0" | 2.3" | 9 | 2 | 27° – 44° |
| December | 31° | 17° | 1.6" | 10.7" | 9 | 13 | 13° – 35° |
| Year | 55° | 36° | 32.5" | 44.7" | 121 | 71 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 7° to 30°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Russell’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 Russell’s center.
- Snow: Plymouth Wwtp, WI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Plymouth Wwtp, WI, 11 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 Russell’s climate
What is the weather like in Russell?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 45 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 93% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 89% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Russell in winter?
January nights average 11°. About 151 nights a year reach 32° or below and 15 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 7°.
How much snow does Russell get?
About 45 inches in a normal winter at Plymouth Wwtp, WI, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 71 days a year.
How hot does it get in Russell?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 59°. About 7 days a year reach 90° (Plymouth Wwtp, WI).
When is the first and last frost in Russell?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 3 and the first fall frost by October 10, about 159 frost-free days, at Plymouth Wwtp, WI.
What growing zone is Russell in?
Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −14°.
What is the best time of year to visit Russell?
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 Russell getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 60% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Russell.
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.