Traverse City in Summer
In summer (June, July and August), Traverse City sees average daytime highs around 74°F and overnight lows near 59°F, with 9.8 in of rain over about 32 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 68°F in early June to 74°F by late August. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels dry.
Summer is Traverse City's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Traverse City's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 74°F
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 59°F
- Rainfall
- 9.8 in
- 32 wet days
- Avg wind
- 7 mph
- Travel score
- 6.8
- best season of the year
- Months
- Jun · Jul · Aug
Temperature in Traverse City in Summer
Over the season highs climb from about 68°F in early June to 74°F by late August.
A typical summer day in Traverse City reaches about 74°F and drops to 59°F overnight. The warmest of the three months is July, the coolest June.
How summer really feels in Traverse City
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F.
summer sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Traverse City weather by month
How the three summer months (June, July and August) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°F) | Rainfall (inches) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28° / 17° | 2.1 | 11.8 | 13.9 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Feb | 28° / 16° | 1.6 | 8.5 | 8.8 | 10.1 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 38° / 23° | 2.1 | 8.7 | 6.2 | 11.6 | 0.1 |
| Apr | 50° / 34° | 3.2 | 11 | 3.5 | 13.2 | 2.3 |
| May | 62° / 45° | 3.2 | 10.9 | 0.2 | 14.6 | 5.1 |
| Jun | 71° / 55° | 3.1 | 10 | 0 | 15.3 | 6.6 |
| Jul | 76° / 61° | 3.3 | 11 | 0 | 15 | 6.9 |
| Aug | 75° / 60° | 3.3 | 10.6 | 0 | 13.9 | 7.0 |
| Sep | 69° / 53° | 3.2 | 11.6 | 0 | 12.3 | 6.1 |
| Oct | 56° / 43° | 3.7 | 14 | 0.4 | 10.7 | 3.4 |
| Nov | 43° / 34° | 2.8 | 13.3 | 6.6 | 9.4 | 0.6 |
| Dec | 34° / 26° | 2.4 | 13.3 | 13.3 | 8.7 | 0.0 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Traverse City gets around 9.8 in of rain over 32 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 7 mph across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 15 h 06 min in early June to 13 h 06 min by late August. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 6.1 kWh/m².
Is summer a good time to visit Traverse City?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a reasonable time to visit Traverse City for sightseeing.
What to pack for Traverse City in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Traverse City sees daytime highs around 74°F and nights near 59°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 32 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Traverse City in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 61°F across summer — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 68°F and coldest in March near 35°F.
The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°F) | 38 | 36 | 35 | 37 | 40 | 50 | 64 | 68 | 65 | 56 | 48 | 42 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Cool | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°F) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38 | Bracing |
| Feb | 36 | Bracing |
| Mar | 35 | Bracing |
| Apr | 37 | Bracing |
| May | 40 | Bracing |
| Jun | 50 | Bracing |
| Jul | 64 | Cool |
| Aug | 68 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 65 | Cool |
| Oct | 56 | Bracing |
| Nov | 48 | Bracing |
| Dec | 42 | Bracing |
UV index in Traverse City in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Traverse City peaks around June 18 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Level | Low | Low | Moderate | Moderate | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | Low | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1 | Low |
| Feb | 2 | Low |
| Mar | 4 | Moderate |
| Apr | 5 | Moderate |
| May | 7 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 8 | Very high |
| Aug | 7 | High |
| Sep | 5 | Moderate |
| Oct | 3 | Moderate |
| Nov | 2 | Low |
| Dec | 1 | Low |
Where is Traverse City?
Traverse City sits at 44.8°N, 85.6°W, 597 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Mackinac Island, 89 mi away.
Topography around Traverse City
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Traverse City.
Within 2 miles, the terrain around Traverse City has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 404 ft around an average of 627 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 679 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,224 ft.
The land around Traverse City is covered by water (33%), trees (32%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 2 miles, trees (48%), water (25%) and grassland (22%) within 10 miles, and trees (49%) and water (37%) within 50 miles.
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
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 Traverse City (44.7631°, -85.6206°, elevation 597 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.