Detroit weather in February

In February, Detroit sees average daytime highs of 33°F and overnight lows near 21°F, with 2.1 in of precipitation across 8.3 wet days and about 10.3 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 31°F in the first days to 36°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time in February, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 42 min at the start of February to 10 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, February is Detroit's 10th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Detroit's year-round climate.

Daytime high
33°
11th warmest
Overnight low
21°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
2.1 in
8.3 wet days
Daylight
10 h 18 min
7:38 AM – 5:55 PM
Cloud cover
72%
10th clearest
Wind
10 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
2.86 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Detroit is city in and county seat of Wayne County, and largest city in State of Michigan, United States.

Density
1,745/km²
people per km²
Founded
1701

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in February

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 31°F in the first days to 36°F by the end.

A typical February day in Detroit reaches about 33°F in the afternoon and slips back to 21°F overnight — a 12°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°F and 46°F. Set against its neighbours, February runs about 2°F warmer than January and about 9°F cooler than March.

20°40°60°151015202528
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13120
23120
33120
43220
53220
63220
73220
83220
93220
103220
113321
123321
133321
143321
153321
163422
173422
183422
193422
203522
213523
223523
233523
243623
253623
263624
273624
283724

How February really feels in Detroit

Once humidity and wind are folded in, February averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 28 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
28
28 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

The story in February is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Detroit weather by month

How February compares with the rest of the year at a glance. February is the 11th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 20°2.510.25.99.30.0
Feb33° / 21°2.18.35.410.30.0
Mar43° / 29°2.69.63.811.60.6
Apr55° / 41°3.612113.13.4
May67° / 52°3.512.8014.45.7
Jun77° / 63°3.410.90156.6
Jul81° / 67°3.110.7014.86.4
Aug79° / 65°3.09.6013.76.8
Sep72° / 58°2.78.3012.37.0
Oct60° / 46°2.78.9010.84.8
Nov47° / 36°2.791.59.61.5
Dec36° / 27°2.59.14.190.0

Cloud cover in February

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time in February.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of February, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 71%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202528
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12872
22872
32872
42872
53070
62971
72971
83070
92971
102971
112971
122872
132971
142971
152971
162971
172971
182971
192971
203070
212971
222971
232971
243070
253070
263070
273169
283169

Chance of precipitation in February

Any precipitationSnow

Detroit gets around 2.1 in of rain and snow over 8.3 wet days in February, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 30% and peaks near 32% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202528
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12820
22720
32720
42719
52720
62720
72720
82720
92820
102820
112820
122920
132920
142919
153019
163020
173020
183120
193120
203119
213219
223219
233219
243219
253219
263219
273219
283219

Humidity in February

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of February feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, February lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202528
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100

Wind in February

Winds average 10 mph in February.

Across February, daily wind ranges from about 10 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202528
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in February

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 42 min at the start of February to 10 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 72 minutes over February. Sunrise moves from 7:54 AM to 7:19 AM, and sunset from 5:37 PM to 6:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202528
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.77:545:37
29.87:535:39
39.87:525:40
49.87:515:41
59.97:505:43
69.97:495:44
710.07:485:45
810.07:475:46
910.07:455:48
1010.17:445:49
1110.17:435:50
1210.27:425:52
1310.27:415:53
1410.27:395:54
1510.37:385:55
1610.37:375:57
1710.47:355:58
1810.47:345:59
1910.57:336:01
2010.57:316:02
2110.67:306:03
2210.67:286:04
2310.67:276:06
2410.77:256:07
2510.77:246:08
2610.87:226:09
2710.87:216:11
2810.97:196:12

Solar energy in February

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in February, about 2.86 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.48 kWh/m² to a high of 6.48 kWh/m² in June across the year — February's 2.86 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202528
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.4Moderate
22.4Moderate
32.5Moderate
42.5Moderate
52.5Moderate
62.6Moderate
72.6Moderate
82.6Moderate
92.7Moderate
102.7Moderate
112.7Moderate
122.8Moderate
132.8Moderate
142.8Moderate
152.9Moderate
162.9Moderate
173.0Moderate
183.0Moderate
193.0Moderate
203.1Moderate
213.1Moderate
223.1Moderate
233.2Moderate
243.2Moderate
253.3Moderate
263.3Moderate
273.4Moderate
283.4Moderate
Planning a trip in February

Is February a good time to visit Detroit?

Our two travel scores rate February for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

February is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Detroit.

What to pack for Detroit in February

From February's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In February, Detroit sees daytime highs around 33°F and nights near 21°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Detroit in February

The nearest coast averages about 33°F in February — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 9 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in February near 33°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 2 to Sep 15 — about 2.5 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan34Bracing
Feb33Bracing
Mar34Bracing
Apr41Bracing
May52Bracing
Jun64Cool
Jul72Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep68Refreshing
Oct57Bracing
Nov47Bracing
Dec39Bracing

UV index in Detroit in February

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in February peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Detroit peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 20UV 9Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Detroit in February

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where February falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Detroit is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 9 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Oct 239 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Detroit?

Detroit sits at 42.3°N, 83.0°W, 600 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Windsor, 2.5 mi away.

Topography around Detroit

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Detroit.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Detroit has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 187 ft around an average of 604 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 200 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 915 ft.

The land around Detroit is covered by artificial surfaces (64%) within 2 miles, artificial surfaces (44%) and trees (24%) within 10 miles, and trees (28%), water (27%) and cropland (26%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
187 ft
10 miles
200 ft
50 miles
915 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
February weather nearby: Windsor 2.5 mi · Hamtramck 4.3 mi · LaSalle 6.2 mi · Dearborn 6.8 mi · Tecumseh 8.1 mi · Lincoln Park 8.7 mi · Hazel Park 9.3 mi · Wyandotte 9.9 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Detroit (42.3314°, -83.0457°, elevation 600 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).