Wilson has some of the coldest winter nights among U.S. towns
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 81°. In July, afternoons here are cooler than in 89% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.5° rise. Plan time outside from May to September, when highs sit at 68–81°.
A year in Wilson at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Wilson’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Wilson’s place in Wisconsin beside it.
What a year in Wilson feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 140 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 10 and the first by September 29. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Ridgeland 1nne, WI, 5 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Wilson’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −25°. 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 51 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Ridgeland 1nne, WI, falls mostly in February, March and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 34 inches a year; June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 103 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Wilson
96% 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 Ridgeland 1nne, WI.
Living with Wilson’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
140 frost-free days in zone 4b. The last frost comes by May 10 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.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 44 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Wilson from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (49%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 23%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Wilson and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Wilson in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Wilson’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson, WI | 4° | 81° | 34" | 51" |
| Clear Lake, IA | 7° | 82° | 36" | 44" |
| Peru, NY | 9° | 80° | 35" | 50" |
| Fairmont, MN | 7° | 83° | 32" | 47" |
| Iron Mountain, MI | 5° | 80° | 29" | 61" |
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 Wilson averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°).
A bigger shift than in 57% 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 Wilson compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Wilson’s place among Wisconsin’s.
Wilson weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Wilson’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Ridgeland 1nne, WI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22° | 4° | 1.0" | 9.5" | 6 | 29 | 1° – 26° |
| February | 27° | 8° | 1.0" | 11.4" | 5 | 26 | 4° – 31° |
| March | 40° | 20° | 1.8" | 10.9" | 7 | 20 | 21° – 45° |
| April | 55° | 32° | 3.1" | 3.3" | 10 | 4 | 32° – 51° |
| May | 68° | 44° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 50° – 63° |
| June | 77° | 54° | 4.8" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| July | 81° | 59° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 64° – 75° |
| August | 79° | 56° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| September | 71° | 49° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 52° – 66° |
| October | 56° | 36° | 2.9" | 0.6" | 9 | 1 | 40° – 52° |
| November | 40° | 24° | 1.9" | 4.1" | 7 | 4 | 23° – 43° |
| December | 27° | 12° | 1.3" | 11.2" | 7 | 22 | 5° – 30° |
| Year | 53° | 33° | 33.8" | 51.0" | 103 | 107 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 4° to 31°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Wilson’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 Wilson’s center.
- Snow: Ridgeland 1nne, WI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Ridgeland 1nne, WI, 5 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 Wilson’s climate
What is the weather like in Wilson?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 51 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than all but 169 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 89% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Wilson in winter?
January nights average 4°. About 176 nights a year reach 32° or below and 37 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 1°.
How much snow does Wilson get?
About 51 inches in a normal winter at Ridgeland 1nne, WI, most of it in February, March and December, with snow on the ground about 107 days a year.
How hot does it get in Wilson?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 59°. About 4 days a year reach 90° (Ridgeland 1nne, WI).
When is the first and last frost in Wilson?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 10 and the first fall frost by September 29, about 140 frost-free days, at Ridgeland 1nne, WI.
What growing zone is Wilson in?
Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −25°.
What is the best time of year to visit Wilson?
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 Wilson getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 57% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Wilson.
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.