Grand Rapids, MI Climate & Monthly Averages
Grand Rapids has a humid continental climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 82° by day; January is the coldest at 32°.
Winter sets the pace in 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.
July
82° by day 64° at nightJanuary
32° by day 20° at nightThe cold-weather pattern in numbers
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.
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.
More climate facts for Grand Rapids
- 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%
From snow season to the warmest stretch 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.
The coldest and warmest values in the dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.
Planning around winter in Grand Rapids
The easier weather window
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.
Cold-weather packing
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).
Monthly highs, lows and seasonal change
| 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% |
The route from winter to summer, month by month
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Grand Rapids's coldest night and 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
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Grand Rapids's coolest part of the year: January, February, December.
Where Grand Rapids sits among other climates
- Grand Rapids averages 50°F (10°C) across the year - cooler than all but 10% of the 3496 cities we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.