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Madison has
a typical continental climate for interior North America,
with a large annual temperature range and frequent short period
temperature changes. The absolute temperature range is 107°F
to -37°F. Winter temperatures average 20°F and the summer
average is 68°F. Daily temperatures average below 32°F for
120 days and above 42°F for 210 days of the year.
There
are no specific wet or dry seasons; however, 60 percent of
the annual precipitation falls within the five-month period
of May through September. Precipitation in the cold season
is lighter, but lasts longer. The ground is covered with an
inch or more of snow 60 percent of the time from mid-December
to March in an average winter. Lakes are normally frozen from
December 17 to April 5. The soil is usually frozen from the
first of December through most of March, with an average frost
penetration of 25 to 30 inches.
Soil
moisture is usually adequate in the early part of the growing
season, due to the spring melt. During July, August and September,
the crops depend upon current rainfall, mostly from thunderstorms,
which tend to be erratic and variable. Average occurrence
of thunderstorms is just under seven days per month during
this time period. The growing season averages 175 days. The
most probable period for the last crop-damaging freeze in
spring is April 17 to May 2 (50 percent of the years). The
first frost/freeze in autumn is most probable from October
6 to 25. The latest recorded killing freeze was on June 10,
1972, and the earliest was on September 12, 1955.
March,
April and November are the windiest months. The
average tornado occurrence for Dane County is
about one in every three to five years.
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TEMPERATURE |
RELATIVE
HUMIDITY |
NORMAL
TOTAL
PRECIP. |
| MONTH |
Normal
High |
Normal
Low |
Noon-CST
% |
inches |
| January |
24.8 |
7.2 |
69 |
1.07 |
| February |
30.1 |
11.1 |
66 |
1.08 |
| March |
41.5 |
23.0 |
62 |
2.17 |
| April |
56.7 |
34.1 |
55 |
2.86 |
| May |
68.9 |
44.2 |
54 |
3.14 |
| June |
78.2 |
54.2 |
56 |
3.66 |
| July |
82.4 |
59.5 |
57 |
3.39 |
| August |
79.6 |
56.3 |
59 |
4.04 |
| September |
71.5 |
48.2 |
61 |
3.37 |
| October |
59.9 |
37.7 |
59 |
2.17 |
| November |
44.0 |
26.7 |
67 |
2.09 |
| December |
29.8 |
13.5 |
72 |
1.84 |
| ANNUAL |
55.6 |
34.7 |
61 |
30.88 |
This
weather information was obtained from the National Weather
Service Office.
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Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce & Internet Marketing Services
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