View annual and daily climate information for Madison, Wisconsin, using data from the station at the Dane County Regional Airport. This station has collected data since October 1939.
On this page:
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.
Click and drag anywhere on the chart to zoom in on specific data points.
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 October 1, 1939.
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 since October 1, 1939.
The left axis on this chart shows the single-day precipitation amount, and the right axis shows the year-to-date accumulated precipitation.
Click and drag anywhere on the chart to zoom in on specific data points.
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 when the season’s first snowfall has occurred.
The left axis on this chart shows the single-day snowfall amount, and the right axis shows the season-to-date accumulated snowfall.
Click and drag anywhere on the chart to zoom in on specific data points.
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.
Click and drag anywhere on the chart to zoom in on specific data points.
Click and drag anywhere on the chart to zoom in on specific data points.
Click and drag anywhere on the chart to zoom in on specific data points.
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.