View annual and daily climate information for Madison, Wisconsin. Current data is from the station at the Dane County Regional Airport, which has collected temperature, precipitation, and snow information since October 1939. Historical data is available dating back to 1869.
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Weather Almanac
Today is . Here are some quick climate statistics about this day.
Record high temperature (°F)
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Normal high:
Record low temperature (°F)
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Normal low:
Record precipitation (in.)
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Normal precipitation:
Record snowfall / snow depth (in.)
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Normal snowfall:
Records may have occurred in multiple years; the most recent is listed. A trace of snow during the summer months indicates hail.
Climate Normals
This chart shows temperature, precipitation, and snowfall averaged over the 30-year period from 1991 to 2020. These averages, known as climate normals, help us determine if the current weather is warmer, cooler, or wetter than normal.
The left axis on this chart shows temperatures, and the right axis shows precipitation and snowfall.
| Variable | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Temperature | 27 | 31.2 | 43.6 | 56.9 | 69 | 78.6 | 82.1 | 79.9 | 72.9 | 59.6 | 44.8 | 32.3 | 56.5 |
| Minimum Temperature | 11.8 | 14.9 | 25.1 | 35.8 | 47.1 | 57.4 | 61.6 | 59.5 | 51 | 39.8 | 28.7 | 18.2 | 37.6 |
| Mean Temperature | 19.4 | 23 | 34.4 | 46.3 | 58.1 | 68 | 71.9 | 69.7 | 62 | 49.7 | 36.7 | 25.3 | 47 |
| Precipitation | 1.47 | 1.52 | 2.26 | 3.78 | 4.1 | 5.28 | 4.51 | 4.16 | 3.43 | 2.77 | 2.22 | 1.63 | 37.13 |
| Snowfall | 13.7 | 12.8 | 7 | 2.6 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 3 | 12 | 51.8 |
| Heating degree days (base 65) | 1413 | 1174 | 951 | 562 | 252 | 47 | 9 | 20 | 151 | 480 | 848 | 1232 | 7138 |
| Cooling degree days (base 65) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 36 | 137 | 221 | 166 | 59 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 627 |
Temperatures
This chart shows the daily high and low temperatures for the current year compared with the average temperatures based on the 1991-2020 climate normals. The bumpy lines are the observed temperatures; the smooth lines are the normal temperatures.
Move your mouse over the chart to see specific data points. Click and drag to zoom in on the chart.
Tap anywhere in the chart to see specific data points. Pinch to zoom in or out on the chart. Rotating your device horizontally may make the chart easier to read.
A Closer Look at Temperatures
These charts show the observed daily temperature compared with the average temperature based on the 1991-2020 climate normals, and range of temperature extremes (record high and low temperatures). The range of extremes shows the highest and lowest high temperature and highest and lowest low temperature since January 1, 1869.
Precipitation
This chart shows the daily and total precipitation amounts for the current year, as well as comparisons with the 1991-2020 climate normals and driest and wettest years through the current day (note that these may be different from the all-time records for driest and wettest years based on the full calendar).
The left axis on this chart shows the single-day precipitation amount, and the right axis shows the year-to-date accumulated precipitation.
Move your mouse over the chart to see specific data points. Click and drag to zoom in on the chart.
Tap anywhere in the chart to see specific data points. Pinch to zoom in or out on the chart. Rotating your device horizontally may make the chart easier to read.
Snow
This chart shows the daily and total snowfall for the current year, snow depth, and well as comparisons with the 1991-2020 climate normals. Note that snowfall (the amount of new snow accumulation) is different from snow depth (the amount of new and old snow on the ground at a given time). Although the “snow season” technically runs from July 1 to June 30, this chart starts on November 1, or earlier if snowfall has occurred before that date.
The left axis on this chart shows the single-day snowfall amount, and the right axis shows the season-to-date accumulated snowfall.
Move your mouse over the chart to see specific data points. Click and drag to zoom in on the chart.
Tap anywhere in the chart to see specific data points. Pinch to zoom in or out on the chart. Rotating your device horizontally may make the chart easier to read.
Degree Days
These charts show daily and total heating, cooling, and freezing degree days for the current year or season. The heating and cooling days also include comparisons with the 1991-2020 climate normals. The heating and cooling degree days use 65 degrees as the base temperature; the freezing degree days use 32 degrees.
Degree days are the difference between the average daily temperature and 65 (for heating and cooling degree days) or 32 (for freezing degree days). If the average temperature is above 65 degrees, it’s a cooling degree day; if it’s below 65, it’s a heating degree day. If the average is below 32, it’s a freezing degree day.
The left axis on these charts shows the single-day degree days, and the right axis shows the season- or year-to-date accumulated degree days.
Move your mouse over the chart to see specific data points. Click and drag to zoom in on the chart.
Tap anywhere in the chart to see specific data points. Pinch to zoom in or out on the chart. Rotating your device horizontally may make the chart easier to read.
Move your mouse over the chart to see specific data points. Click and drag to zoom in on the chart.
Tap anywhere in the chart to see specific data points. Pinch to zoom in or out on the chart. Rotating your device horizontally may make the chart easier to read.
Move your mouse over the chart to see specific data points. Click and drag to zoom in on the chart.
Tap anywhere in the chart to see specific data points. Pinch to zoom in or out on the chart. Rotating your device horizontally may make the chart easier to read.
Lake Ice
The Wisconsin State Climatology Office maintains a list of ice-over and ice-out dates for three Madison-area lakes — Mendota, Monona, and Wingra. These records, extending back into the mid-19th century, are based upon the observations made by various people, including those at Washburn Observatory on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. Learn how freeze and thaw dates are determined
Check out the real-time ice conditions on Madison’s largest lake (or enjoy the view when it’s not winter) by viewing a live webcam of Lake Mendota, courtesy of the UW–Madison Center for Limnology.