PlainClimate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals Station-mapped location · no exact Census place match 1 NOAA station · Primary-station record

Madison Dane Rgnl, WI Climate: Temperature & Rain by Month

Average temperature and precipitation from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →, with a derived climate comfort score

30-year climate normals (1991-2020) from Madison Dane Rgnl's primary NOAA station, MADISON DANE RGNL AP.

The climate verdict for Madison Dane Rgnl

Madison Dane Rgnl, Wisconsin has a mixed annual climate rather than one dominant extreme. Its NOAA normal shows an annual average of 47°F. At 54/100 (moderate) the climate comfort score falls in the bottom third of the station-mapped U.S. score corpus, exceeding only 31% of scores.

47°F
yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
54/100
comfort score, above 31% of station-mapped location scores
37.1"
annual precipitation · 52" snow
162 days
frost-free growing season

Madison Dane Rgnl: NOAA 1991-2020 normals describe a typical year, not a forecast. Method: /methodology.

Normals record plate

Sheet USW00014837 · Madison Dane Rgnl, WI 47°F mean · 37.1" precip

TEMP-COOL · RANK-COOL · PHOTO-FINISH · PRCP-MID · SWING-WIDE · COMF-LOW · LOAD-HEAT · STN-1 · BOOK-FULL

Nearest mean-temperature peer: Galena, IL (+ 0 °F mean)

Instrument codes from this station's NOAA 1991–2020 normals, mean temperature, corpus warmth rank, photo-finish peer station, precipitation band, seasonal swing, comfort composite, degree-day load, and field book, not a livability rating.

Mean-temperature neighbourhood

Nationwide NOAA normal poles and nearest peers, not a reprint of every WI station list.

Climate Living Index · Madison Dane Rgnl

Madison Dane Rgnl: 47/100 · grade D

Madison Dane Rgnl publishes all six Living Index dimensions from NOAA annual/seasonal normals · NOAA daily multivariate normals · NOAA hourly normals.

D
47/100Climate Living Index

PlainClimate-derived for Madison Dane Rgnl, not an official NOAA rating. Rankings still use Comfort Score 54/100 (separate formula). Breakpoints and limits.

Madison Dane Rgnl Living Index dimension scores
DimensionStation valueScore
Precipitation balance 37.1 in · 2.1 from 35 in 91/100 · A
Summer moisture balance 60.4°F mean dew point 61/100 · C
Normal heat + freeze calendar 151 calendar days 46/100 · D
Frost-free season 162 days/year 35/100 · F
Annual temperature balance 47.0°F · 20.5° from 67.5°F 27/100 · F
Snowfall burden 51.8 inches/year 20/100 · F

Madison Dane Rgnl · 2026-08-04 · NOAA NCEI Climate Normals · method · Comfort Score method.

Madison Dane Rgnl is a continental Köppen climate: Dfa

Coldest-month mean 19.4°F and warmest-month mean 71.9°F place this station in continental, no dry season, hot summer climates (Dfa). Class Dfa is the Peel et al. (2007) label for this station's monthly mean temperature and precipitation normals: continental, specifically continental, no dry season, hot summer.

Köppen code
Dfa
Group
Continental
Warmest month
71.9°F
Coldest month
19.4°F

Source: official public datasets monthly normals (1991–2020) at the city’s primary station. This is a station classification, not a mapped regional consensus.

National standing · heating-led station

Where Madison Dane Rgnl sits across the climate record

Three NOAA fields for Madison Dane Rgnl's primary station, temperature, precipitation, and seasonal swing, are ranked against every station-mapped normal that carries the same field.

Annual temperature
Cooler than 73%
Among 6,861 stations, Madison Dane Rgnl sits in the cooler third of annual means.
Annual precipitation
52nd percentile wetness
Neither arid nor torrential versus 6,352 station totals.
Seasonal temperature swing
Wider than 87%
Warmest-to-coldest month gap for Madison Dane Rgnl is large versus 6,861 complete station-years.

How Madison Dane Rgnl compares across U.S. station-mapped locations

Madison Dane Rgnl's comfort score vs. all station-mapped locations

PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals

54 31st percentile score exceeds 31% of 6,189 station-mapped location scores

0–10: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry. 10–20: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry. 20–30: 96 station-mapped locations (2%). Below this entry. 30–40: 280 station-mapped locations (5%). Below this entry. 40–50: 1,113 station-mapped locations (18%). Below this entry. 50–60: 1,329 station-mapped locations (21%). This entry sits in this band. 60–70: 1,236 station-mapped locations (20%). Above this entry. 70–80: 650 station-mapped locations (11%). Above this entry. 80–90: 921 station-mapped locations (15%). Above this entry. 90–100: 564 station-mapped locations (9%). Above this entry. This location 0 100 every station-mapped location, bucketed by value
  1. 0–10: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
  2. 10–20: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
  3. 20–30: 96 station-mapped locations (2%). Below this entry.
  4. 30–40: 280 station-mapped locations (5%). Below this entry.
  5. 40–50: 1,113 station-mapped locations (18%). Below this entry.
  6. 50–60: 1,329 station-mapped locations (21%). This entry sits in this band.
  7. 60–70: 1,236 station-mapped locations (20%). Above this entry.
  8. 70–80: 650 station-mapped locations (11%). Above this entry.
  9. 80–90: 921 station-mapped locations (15%). Above this entry.
  10. 90–100: 564 station-mapped locations (9%). Above this entry.

Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more station-mapped locations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Madison Dane Rgnl's measured station temperature trend

Methodology

Across 153 complete annual observations from 1869 to 2025, MADISON DANE RGNL AP warmed at a fitted rate of 0.11°C per decade. The line shows the fitted change relative to its first year, not raw year-to-year temperatures or a forecast.

Madison Dane Rgnl fitted annual mean temperature change, 1869-2025 Fitted station-temperature change from 1869 to 2025, relative to the fitted first year. The linear trend warmed at 0.11 °C per decade. -0.3°C +0.2°C +0.7°C +1.2°C +1.7°C 18801900192019401960198020002020
  • Madison Dane Rgnl primary station fitted change +0.11 °C/decade
Source: NOAA GHCN-M v4, quality-controlled monthly mean temperature. PlainClimate fits ordinary least squares over complete calendar years; minimum 30 years, record must reach 2015 or later.

Monthly Temperatures

Average daily high and low temperatures by month

Month Avg High Avg Low Mean
January 27°F (-3°C) 12°F (-11°C) 19°F (-7°C)
February 31°F (0°C) 15°F (-9°C) 23°F (-5°C)
March 44°F (6°C) 25°F (-4°C) 34°F (1°C)
April 57°F (14°C) 36°F (2°C) 46°F (8°C)
May 69°F (21°C) 47°F (8°C) 58°F (15°C)
June 79°F (26°C) 57°F (14°C) 68°F (20°C)
July 82°F (28°C) 62°F (16°C) 72°F (22°C)
August 80°F (27°C) 60°F (15°C) 70°F (21°C)
September 73°F (23°C) 51°F (11°C) 62°F (17°C)
October 60°F (15°C) 40°F (4°C) 50°F (10°C)
November 45°F (7°C) 29°F (-2°C) 37°F (3°C)
December 32°F (0°C) 18°F (-8°C) 25°F (-4°C)

The year, day by day

Summer here tops out rather than builds: the warmest normal high is 82°F around July 9, short of 90°F on every date, while 151 dates carry a normal low at or below freezing, the coldest 11°F near January 22.

Normal daily high and low temperature for Madison Dane Rgnl, January through December Peaks 82°F around July 9. Bottoms 11°F around January 22. 5 25 45 65 85 freezing JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Normal daily high and low across the calendar year. NOAA 1991–2020 daily normals, MADISON DANE RGNL AP.

The freezing stretch

The normal low stays at or below 32°F into April 5, then returns to freezing around November 7, covering 151 dates in all.

Derived from the normal daily minimum. This is a different measure from the 50%-probability frost dates shown elsewhere on this page, which come from NOAA’s frost product.

Where the wet dates fall

The likeliest wet date is April 27, when 43% of years recorded at least a hundredth of an inch. The driest is August 30 at 29%. Summed across the calendar, that is about 127 wet dates a year.

The widest day

September 17 carries the biggest normal gap between afternoon and dawn, 22°F between the normal high and the normal low.

Look up any date

Any date's 1991–2020 normal for Madison Dane Rgnl.

Where Madison Dane Rgnl Stands Nationally

Days and nights track unusually close together; the widest normal swing, about 22°F, is narrower than most stations record.

Madison Dane Rgnl earns one nationally notable standing (outer quintile) against 6,860 NOAA 1991–2020 normals stations, middle-of-the-pack metrics stay silent here.

Monthly Precipitation

Average monthly rainfall and snowfall

January 1.5"

Snow: 13.7"

10.6 days with precipitation

February 1.5"

Snow: 12.8"

9.7 days with precipitation

March 2.3"

Snow: 7.0"

10.6 days with precipitation

April 3.8"

Snow: 2.6"

12.6 days with precipitation

May 4.1"

Snow: 0.1"

12.7 days with precipitation

June 5.3"

11.7 days with precipitation

July 4.5"

10.2 days with precipitation

August 4.2"

9.4 days with precipitation

September 3.4"

9.2 days with precipitation

October 2.8"

Snow: 0.6"

10.1 days with precipitation

November 2.2"

Snow: 3.0"

9.6 days with precipitation

December 1.6"

Snow: 12.0"

10.0 days with precipitation

Madison Dane Rgnl runs a summer-peaked wet season

38% of Madison Dane Rgnl's yearly precipitation falls in June, July and August alone, against the 25% an evenly spread year would give those three months. The wettest month is June at 5.3", on a wide 52.5°F gap between its warmest and coldest month. Warm-season convection and, across the Southwest, the North American monsoon produce this shape: rain arrives in short heavy bursts during the hottest part of the year rather than as long cool-season soaking.

Shares are computed from this station's own 1991-2020 monthly precipitation normals. A summer-peaked label means the June-August share reaches 35%; it describes timing across an average year, not any single season, and says nothing about how heavy an individual storm can be.

How Madison Dane Rgnl's precipitation splits across the calendar

About 126 days a year record measurable precipitation here, carrying 37.1" between them, or roughly 0.29 inches on a typical wet day. That sits in the middle band: neither the many-light-days pattern of the Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes, nor the few-heavy-events pattern of the Gulf and the desert Southwest.

Wet days a year
126
Wettest month by days
May
Driest month by days
September

A wet day is one recording at least 0.01 inches. These are 1991-2020 normals: they describe an average year and say nothing about the heaviest single storm on record.

Winter brings real snow to Madison Dane Rgnl

Madison Dane Rgnl averages 51.8 inches of snowfall a year, with January the snowiest month on the normals, spread across roughly 38 days that record measurable snow. That is depth accumulating on the ground, which is why it can exceed the annual precipitation figure: precipitation counts the liquid the snow melts down to, and fresh snow is mostly air.

NOAA 1991-2020 normals. The ten-to-one ratio is a convention, not a measurement: real ratios vary with temperature, so treat the share as an order of magnitude rather than an exact split.

Frost Dates & Growing Season

First Fall Freeze

October 10

50% probability date

Last Spring Freeze

May 1

50% probability date

Growing Season

162 days

Heating & Cooling Degree Days

Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling

Heating Degree Days

7,138

Higher = more heating needed

Cooling Degree Days

627

Higher = more cooling needed

Warmest Month

July

Coldest Month

January

Humidity & Wind

Monthly averages from hourly observations

Month Humidity Wind (mph)
January 73% 7.8
February 70% 8.5
March 63% 9.3
April 61% 8.8
May 67% 7.1
June 69% 6.5
July 72% 5.8
August 74% 6.1
September 71% 7.1
October 69% 8.1
November 74% 8.0
December 76% 7.9

Nationwide similar cities

Other rankable U.S. places outside WI closest to Madison Dane Rgnl on two NOAA annual-normal axes (mean temperature and annual precipitation). Chip rows use distinct link sets.

Closest by average temperature

Nearest out-of-state peers by annual mean temperature (47°F here).

Closest by annual precipitation

Nearest out-of-state peers by annual precipitation (37.1" here), excluding temperature-peer places.

Wisconsin climate overview →

Snow and freeze rhythm

When cold and snow define Madison Dane Rgnl

heating led · moderate · mid swing

Madison Dane Rgnl's energy balance leans toward cold weather: 7,138 annual heating degree days against 627 for cooling. Its 52.5°F seasonal range still makes the monthly rows more useful than the annual average alone.

Madison Dane Rgnl's frost-free season lasts about 162 days, a middle-length window whose endpoints matter more than the annual average. It describes freeze probability, not year-specific planting conditions.

  1. 1. Madison Dane Rgnl coldest normal

    January

    Averaging 19°F (-7°C), this month sits below freezing for the month as a whole, not merely overnight.

  2. 2. Madison Dane Rgnl typical freeze period

    January through December

    The station reports average freezing days from January through December.

  3. 3. Madison Dane Rgnl snow peak

    January

    Madison Dane Rgnl averages 51.8 inches of snow a year, with January the snowiest month on the normals.

Questions about Madison Dane Rgnl's climate

How much snow does Madison Dane Rgnl get?
Madison Dane Rgnl averages 51.8 inches of snow a year, most of it in January, within 37.1 inches of total precipitation. Snowfall is depth on the ground; the precipitation total counts its liquid equivalent, so the two are not additive.
How cold does Madison Dane Rgnl get in winter?
Madison Dane Rgnl records about 147 days a year with a low at or below freezing, with January the coldest month on the normals, and an annual average daily low of 38°F.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Madison Dane Rgnl?
Madison Dane Rgnl has 7,138 heating degree days and 627 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. Degree-day definitions: reading weather data.

Data Sources

Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). All figures on this page are from Madison Dane Rgnl's primary station: MADISON DANE RGNL AP (USW00014837). For informational purposes only.

Place identity: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer places. The conservative exact name-and-state crosswalk finds no Census place match, so PlainClimate treats this as a station-mapped location and does not claim it is a municipality. No exact Gazetteer row for Madison Dane Rgnl; facility counts that depend on place identity are therefore an upper bound, not a municipal census.

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate

On this page every temperature, precipitation, and derived score for Madison Dane Rgnl comes from its primary NOAA station record. No figure on this page is typed in by an editor - each value is rendered from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 1991–2020 normals.