Detroit, MI Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Detroit
Seasons are the whole story in Detroit. The gap between an average July and an average January is 26°C - hot, humid summers and generally mild winters - which in practice means 82°F (28°C) afternoons at one end of the calendar and 33°F (0°C) at the other.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 82°F (28°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 33°F (0°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 95°F (35°C) high · -18°F (-28°C) low
- Wettest month: June (12 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (12.3 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 26°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 8°C
- Snow: about 17 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 4
- Average humidity: 72%
Temperatures through the year
Precipitation concentrates in June - 3.7 inches (94 mm) on 12 days - and thins out by February. January bottoms out at 33°F (0°C) in daylight, 21°F (-6°C) after dark. At its warmest, in July, Detroit runs to 82°F (28°C) in the afternoon and back to 66°F (19°C) by dawn. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 95°F (35°C) and the lowest daily minimum -18°F (-28°C). June is the brightest month at 12.3 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 8.5.
Rain, sun and snow
Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 4 months, December through March. Between the average July and the average January lie 26°C, a wider spread than roughly 88% of the cities we track.
How Detroit compares
- Detroit sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 51°F (10°C) as an annual average, 37.1 inches (943 mm) of precipitation and 8.5 hours of sun a day.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 21° | 10 | 2.6 in | 4.7 h/day | 9.4 h | 33% | 75% |
| February | 36° | 20° | 9 | 2.4 in | 6.7 h/day | 10.5 h | 31% | 73% |
| March | 45° | 29° | 10 | 2.9 in | 7.6 h/day | 11.8 h | 32% | 69% |
| April | 56° | 38° | 14 | 3.6 in | 8.8 h/day | 13.3 h | 47% | 69% |
| May | 69° | 51° | 12 | 3.5 in | 10.3 h/day | 14.6 h | 40% | 69% |
| June | 78° | 61° | 12 | 3.7 in | 12.3 h/day | 15.3 h | 41% | 67% |
| July | 82° | 66° | 12 | 3.6 in | 12.3 h/day | 15.0 h | 37% | 70% |
| August | 80° | 65° | 11 | 3.7 in | 11.4 h/day | 13.9 h | 35% | 72% |
| September | 75° | 60° | 10 | 2.9 in | 9.6 h/day | 12.4 h | 33% | 74% |
| October | 62° | 48° | 12 | 3.5 in | 7.3 h/day | 11.0 h | 37% | 72% |
| November | 48° | 36° | 9 | 2.4 in | 5.9 h/day | 9.7 h | 29% | 73% |
| December | 39° | 28° | 10 | 2.5 in | 4.5 h/day | 9.1 h | 33% | 77% |
Detroit month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Detroit's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 4.7 h
- Daylight
- 9.4 h
- Snow
- 4 days
February
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 6.7 h
- Daylight
- 10.5 h
- Snow
- 5 days
March
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 7.6 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 2 days
April
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 8.8 h
- Daylight
- 13.3 h
- Snow
- 1 day
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.3 h
- Daylight
- 14.6 h
June
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 12.3 h
- Daylight
- 15.3 h
July
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 12.3 h
- Daylight
- 15.0 h
August
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.9 h
September
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 9.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 7.3 h
- Daylight
- 11.0 h
November
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 5.9 h
- Daylight
- 9.7 h
- Snow
- 2 days
December
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 4.5 h
- Daylight
- 9.1 h
- Snow
- 3 days
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Detroit
Spring (March through May)
Spring stays on the cool side of mild here - highs near 57°F (14°C), nights near 39°F (4°C), and rain falls on around 36 of the 90 days, plus about 4 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Detroit is pleasantly warm, with daytime highs averaging 80°F (27°C) and nights around 64°F (18°C); rain falls on around 35 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 12.0 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Through fall, Detroit is crisp but comfortable: 62°F (16°C) by day, 48°F (9°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 30 of the 90 days.
Winter (December through February)
Through winter, Detroit brings deep cold: 36°F (2°C) by day, 23°F (-5°C) after dark, and expect showers on roughly 29 days across the season, plus about 11 snowy days. Wind sharpens cold like this considerably; pair the forecast winds with the wind speed converter to judge exposed conditions.
Climate questions, answered
When does Detroit drop below freezing?
What should I pack for Detroit?
How cold does Detroit get in winter?
Is Detroit humid?
How hot does Detroit get in summer?
What is the average temperature in Detroit?
Best time to visit Detroit
Aim for July to October if you get the choice: these are the warmest and brightest weeks of the year, and highs average 75°F (24°C) against roughly 11 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in July.
Pack for Detroit with light clothing for the warm months, a heavy insulated coat, hat and gloves for winter and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Note the gap between afternoon and night: July pairs 82°F (28°C) with 66°F (19°C).
Detroit temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.