Traverse City Metro Area, MI Climate

The climate in Traverse City, MI Metro Area is generally considered to be mild and humid. It has a moderate four-season continental climate, with warm summers and cold winters. In the summer months temperatures can reach into the mid-80s (°F), while in the winter months temperatures can dip into the single digits or even below zero. The area receives an average of just over 33 inches of precipitation a year, making it fairly wet throughout all seasons. The area also experiences lake effect snowfall from nearby Lake Michigan during the winter months, adding to its seasonal snow accumulations.

Traverse City Metro Area, Michigan gets 34 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Traverse City Metro Area averages 114 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 165 sunny days per year in Traverse City Metro Area. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Traverse City Metro Area gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 142 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.

Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 80 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 16
Rain: averages 34 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 114 inches of snow a year

Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for the Traverse City metro area is 6.2 (10=best), which means it is less comfortable than most places in Michigan.

9.3 Summer - 3.1 Winter

August, July and June are the most pleasant months in the Traverse City metro area, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

Climate	Traverse City, Michigan	United States
	33.5 in.	38.1 in.
	113.6 in.	27.8 in.
	142.0 days	106.2 days
	165 days	205 days
	79.5°	85.8°
	15.7°	21.7°
	6.2	7
	3.3	4.3
	887 ft.	2443 ft.

Climate

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

July is the hottest month for the Traverse City metro area with an average high temperature of 79.5°, which ranks it as cooler than most places in Michigan. In the Traverse City metro area, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for the Traverse City metro area are August, July and June.

In the Traverse City metro area, there are 3.4 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is cooler than most places in Michigan.

February has the coldest nighttime temperatures for the Traverse City metro area with an average of 15.5°. This is about average compared to other places in Michigan.

In the Traverse City metro area, there are 151.2 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is colder than most places in Michigan.

In the Traverse City metro area, there are 5.9 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is warmer than most places in Michigan.

Humidity in the Traverse City metro area is generally quite low and comfortable. There are few days during the summer when the humidity becomes unpleasant. The most humid months (but still comfortable) are August, July and June.

September is the wettest month in the Traverse City metro area with 3.8 inches of rain, and the driest month is February with 1.5 inches. The wettest season is Winter with 30% of yearly precipitation and 18% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 33.5 inches in the Traverse City metro area means that it is about average compared to other places in Michigan.

January is the rainiest month in the Traverse City metro area with 16.3 days of rain, and July is the driest month with only 9.1 rainy days. There are 142.0 rainy days annually in the Traverse City metro area, which is rainier than most places in Michigan. The rainiest season is Spring when it rains 31% of the time and the driest is Autumn with only a 20% chance of a rainy day.

An annual snowfall of 113.6 inches in the Traverse City metro area means that it is snowier than most places in Michigan. January is the snowiest month in the Traverse City metro area with 33.2 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.

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