Milwaukee, WI Climate & Monthly Averages
Milwaukee has a humid continental climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 80° by day; January is the coldest at 30°.
Milwaukee's climate is a story of contrasts
Milwaukee runs one of the wider annual swings in our dataset: 27°C separates the average July from the average January. Afternoons reach 80°F (26°C) at the peak of summer and 30°F (-1°C) at the depth of winter, with 120 days of measurable precipitation through the year.
July
80° by day 65° at nightJanuary
30° by day 18° at nightThe two ends of the year
July is the warm end of the year, averaging 80°F (26°C) by day and 65°F (18°C) overnight. January bottoms out at 30°F (-1°C) in daylight, 18°F (-8°C) after dark. Snow falls on roughly 19 days a year, mostly November through April.
Four of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is June through September. Between the average July and the average January lie 27°C, a wider spread than 90% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. Sunshine averages 8.6 hours a day over the year, peaking in July at 12.4 hours.
Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 100°F (38°C) and the lowest daily minimum -24°F (-31°C).
More climate facts for Milwaukee
- Hottest month: July - highs near 80°F (26°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 30°F (-1°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 100°F (38°C) high · -24°F (-31°C) low
- Wettest month: June (11 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (12.4 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid continental
- Annual swing: 27°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 8°C
- Snow: about 19 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 4
- Average humidity: 72%
Four distinct parts of the year in Milwaukee
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Milwaukee is chilly, with daytime highs averaging 53°F (11°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)
Summer settles into easy warmth here - highs near 77°F (25°C), nights near 62°F (17°C), and rain falls on around 31 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.8 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Milwaukee is mild, with daytime highs averaging 60°F (16°C) and nights around 47°F (8°C); expect showers on roughly 29 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Milwaukee is frigid, with daytime highs averaging 34°F (1°C) and nights around 20°F (-6°C); expect showers on roughly 24 days across the season, plus about 12 snowy days. Wind sharpens cold like this considerably; pair the forecast winds with the wind speed converter to judge exposed conditions.
Milwaukee temperature extremes in the 2015–2024 dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.
Choosing a season in Milwaukee
Best time to visit Milwaukee
The best time to visit Milwaukee is generally May to October, when these are the warmest and brightest weeks of the year. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 71°F (22°C), with rain on about 11 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in May.
What to pack
Pack for Milwaukee with 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 80°F (26°C) with 65°F (18°C).
Monthly highs, lows and seasonal change
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 18° | 9 | 2.1 in | 5.3 h/day | 9.3 h | 28% | 74% |
| February | 33° | 18° | 7 | 1.9 in | 7.1 h/day | 10.5 h | 25% | 70% |
| March | 42° | 28° | 11 | 2.9 in | 8.0 h/day | 11.8 h | 35% | 71% |
| April | 52° | 37° | 13 | 4.1 in | 8.9 h/day | 13.3 h | 43% | 70% |
| May | 63° | 48° | 12 | 4.3 in | 10.2 h/day | 14.6 h | 38% | 72% |
| June | 74° | 58° | 11 | 4.4 in | 11.7 h/day | 15.3 h | 38% | 72% |
| July | 80° | 65° | 10 | 3.2 in | 12.4 h/day | 15.1 h | 32% | 73% |
| August | 79° | 64° | 10 | 3.1 in | 11.4 h/day | 13.9 h | 33% | 73% |
| September | 73° | 59° | 10 | 3.8 in | 9.5 h/day | 12.4 h | 35% | 74% |
| October | 60° | 47° | 11 | 3.8 in | 7.3 h/day | 10.9 h | 35% | 70% |
| November | 47° | 34° | 8 | 2.2 in | 6.1 h/day | 9.6 h | 26% | 70% |
| December | 37° | 25° | 8 | 2.2 in | 4.9 h/day | 9.0 h | 26% | 73% |
Milwaukee from the coldest month to the hottest
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Milwaukee's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 5.3 h
- Daylight
- 9.3 h
- Snow
- 6 days
February
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 7.1 h
- Daylight
- 10.5 h
- Snow
- 4 days
March
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 8.0 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 3 days
April
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 8.9 h
- Daylight
- 13.3 h
- Snow
- 2 days
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 14.6 h
June
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.7 h
- Daylight
- 15.3 h
July
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 12.4 h
- Daylight
- 15.1 h
August
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.9 h
September
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 7.3 h
- Daylight
- 10.9 h
November
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 6.1 h
- Daylight
- 9.6 h
- Snow
- 2 days
December
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 4.9 h
- Daylight
- 9.0 h
- Snow
- 3 days
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Milwaukee's coolest part of the year: January, February, December.
Where Milwaukee sits among other climates
- Milwaukee averages 49°F (9°C) across the year - cooler than all but 7% of the 3496 cities we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.