Climate Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 41°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Sault Ste Marie, MI Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 41°F
- Avg annual temp
- 44/100
- Comfort score
- 35.8"
- Annual precip
- 135d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Sault Ste Marie
Sault Ste Marie, Michigan averages 41°F a year and scores 44/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 8% of U.S. cities.
- 41°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 44/100
- comfort score, milder than 8% of U.S. cities
- 35.8"
- annual precipitation · 117" snow
- 135 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
41°F (5°C)
Avg High
50°F
Avg Low
31°F
Annual Precip
35.8"
Annual Snow
117.4"
Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
41°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
35.8"
Plus 117.4" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Sault Ste Marie) 44.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Sault Ste Marie area.
How Sault Ste Marie compares to every U.S. city
Sault Ste Marie's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
44 Top 92% higher than 8% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. 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.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Sault Ste Marie
MethodologyThe chart below traces how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has moved against the global mean since 1900. For Sault Ste Marie, the NOAA 1991-2020 normal captures average conditions across that spread - notably, the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean itself.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23°F (-5°C) | 4°F (-16°C) | 13°F (-10°C) | 2.5" | 28.6" | 30.5 | 0.0 |
| February | 25°F (-4°C) | 4°F (-16°C) | 14°F (-10°C) | 1.7" | 24.0" | 27.7 | 0.0 |
| March | 35°F (1°C) | 13°F (-11°C) | 24°F (-5°C) | 1.9" | 13.5" | 29.1 | 0.0 |
| April | 47°F (8°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 2.7" | 7.6" | 22.9 | 0.0 |
| May | 62°F (17°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 2.6" | 0.5" | 6.2 | 0.2 |
| June | 72°F (22°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 3.0" | 0.0" | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| July | 76°F (25°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 3.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.3 |
| August | 75°F (24°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 3.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| September | 68°F (20°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 3.8" | 0.0" | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| October | 53°F (12°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 4.6" | 1.2" | 11.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 40°F (5°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 3.6" | 14.3" | 21.9 | 0.0 |
| December | 29°F (-2°C) | 15°F (-10°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 3.0" | 27.7" | 29.6 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 2.5"
Snow: 28.6"
20.1 days with precipitation
February 1.7"
Snow: 24.0"
16.1 days with precipitation
March 1.9"
Snow: 13.5"
12.8 days with precipitation
April 2.7"
Snow: 7.6"
12.3 days with precipitation
May 2.6"
Snow: 0.5"
11.7 days with precipitation
June 3.0"
12.0 days with precipitation
July 3.1"
11.2 days with precipitation
August 3.1"
11.7 days with precipitation
September 3.8"
13.6 days with precipitation
October 4.6"
Snow: 1.2"
17.6 days with precipitation
November 3.6"
Snow: 14.3"
17.2 days with precipitation
December 3.0"
Snow: 27.7"
19.0 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 4
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 22
50% probability date
Growing Season
135 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
9,083
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
201
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Sault Ste Marie's climate means for you
Sault Ste Marie runs 41°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 135 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 22 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 9,083 heating and 201 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Sault Ste Marie, MI
Sault Ste Marie, Michigan runs an annual average of 41°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 50°F to a mean daily low of 31°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Drawn from station USC00207364, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Sault Ste Marie receives roughly 35.8 inches of precipitation each year, with 117.4 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 135 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 22 and the first fall freeze near October 4. For energy use, 9,083 heating degree days and 201 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Sault Ste Marie scores 44/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Use the monthly tables above to plan around specific windows, shoulder seasons for mild highs and lows, peak summer for July-driven heat, or deep winter for January-driven cold. All figures here are thirty-year averages: any single year may run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal, so treat them as planning guidance rather than forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Sault Ste Marie, MI? ▼
The average annual temperature in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan is 41°F. The warmest month averages 76°F (25°C) and the coldest averages 4°F (-16°C).
How much rain does Sault Ste Marie get? ▼
Sault Ste Marie receives 35.8 inches of precipitation annually, including 117.4 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Sault Ste Marie? ▼
Sault Ste Marie has a climate comfort score of 44/100 (Moderate), milder than 8% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Sault Ste Marie? ▼
Sault Ste Marie has approximately 135 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 22 and the first fall freeze around October 4.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Sault Ste Marie? ▼
Sault Ste Marie has 9,083 heating degree days and 201 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Sault Ste Marie climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00207364 near Sault Ste Marie.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00207364. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.