Grand Rapids, MI Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Grand Rapids
Seasons are the whole story in Grand Rapids. The gap between an average July and an average January is 26°C - warm summers and cold, often snowy winters - which in practice means 82°F (28°C) afternoons at one end of the calendar and 32°F (0°C) at the other.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 82°F (28°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 32°F (0°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 95°F (35°C) high · -18°F (-28°C) low
- Wettest month: June (12 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (12.3 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid continental
- Annual swing: 26°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 9°C
- Snow: about 27 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 4
- Average humidity: 71%
Temperatures through the year
Snow falls on roughly 27 days a year, mostly November through April. January bottoms out at 32°F (0°C) in daylight, 20°F (-7°C) after dark. At its warmest, in July, Grand Rapids runs to 82°F (28°C) in the afternoon and back to 64°F (18°C) by dawn. Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 4 months, December through March.
Rain, sun and snow
Between the average July and the average January lie 26°C, a wider spread than roughly 88% of the cities we track. Sunshine averages 8.1 hours a day over the year - duller than about 81% of the cities we track, peaking in July at 12.3 hours. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 95°F (35°C) and bottoms at -18°F (-28°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
How Grand Rapids compares
- Grand Rapids averages 50°F (10°C) across the year - cooler than all but 10% of the 3496 cities we track.
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 | 32° | 20° | 12 | 2.6 in | 3.7 h/day | 9.3 h | 39% | 77% |
| February | 34° | 18° | 10 | 2.6 in | 6.1 h/day | 10.5 h | 35% | 73% |
| March | 45° | 28° | 10 | 3.3 in | 7.7 h/day | 11.8 h | 33% | 67% |
| April | 56° | 37° | 13 | 3.7 in | 8.7 h/day | 13.3 h | 45% | 66% |
| May | 69° | 49° | 12 | 4.0 in | 10.2 h/day | 14.6 h | 39% | 66% |
| June | 78° | 59° | 12 | 4.3 in | 12.0 h/day | 15.3 h | 39% | 66% |
| July | 82° | 64° | 11 | 3.3 in | 12.3 h/day | 15.0 h | 36% | 69% |
| August | 80° | 63° | 10 | 3.9 in | 11.4 h/day | 13.9 h | 34% | 71% |
| September | 75° | 58° | 9 | 2.8 in | 9.5 h/day | 12.4 h | 31% | 72% |
| October | 61° | 46° | 14 | 4.3 in | 6.8 h/day | 10.9 h | 44% | 73% |
| November | 47° | 35° | 10 | 2.6 in | 5.1 h/day | 9.7 h | 32% | 74% |
| December | 38° | 27° | 12 | 2.9 in | 3.4 h/day | 9.0 h | 38% | 78% |
Grand Rapids month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Grand Rapids's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 3.7 h
- Daylight
- 9.3 h
- Snow
- 8 days
February
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 6.1 h
- Daylight
- 10.5 h
- Snow
- 6 days
March
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 7.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 3 days
April
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 8.7 h
- Daylight
- 13.3 h
- Snow
- 2 days
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 14.6 h
June
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 12.0 h
- Daylight
- 15.3 h
July
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 12.3 h
- Daylight
- 15.0 h
August
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.9 h
September
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 6.8 h
- Daylight
- 10.9 h
November
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 5.1 h
- Daylight
- 9.7 h
- Snow
- 3 days
December
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 3.4 h
- Daylight
- 9.0 h
- Snow
- 6 days
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Grand Rapids
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Grand Rapids is mild, with daytime highs averaging 57°F (14°C) and nights around 38°F (3°C); rain falls on around 36 of the 90 days, plus about 5 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Through summer, Grand Rapids brings comfortable warmth: 80°F (27°C) by day, 62°F (17°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 33 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.9 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Grand Rapids stays on the cool side of mild, with daytime highs averaging 61°F (16°C) and nights around 46°F (8°C); rain falls on around 32 of the 90 days, plus about 3 snowy days.
Winter (December through February)
Through winter, Grand Rapids is bitterly cold: 35°F (1°C) by day, 22°F (-6°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 34 of the 90 days, plus about 20 snowy days. Wind sharpens cold like this considerably; pair the forecast winds with the wind speed converter to judge exposed conditions.
Climate questions, answered
How much sun does Grand Rapids get?
Is Grand Rapids hot in summer?
Is Grand Rapids cold in winter?
What should I wear in Grand Rapids?
How humid does Grand Rapids get?
What is the average temperature in Grand Rapids?
Best time to visit Grand Rapids
The best time to visit Grand Rapids is generally June to September, when these are the warmest and brightest weeks of the year. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 79°F (26°C), with rain on about 11 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in June.
Pack for Grand Rapids 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 64°F (18°C).
Grand Rapids 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.