Madison, WI weather in February
February in Madison: cold and snowy. Highs 31°F, lows 15°F, about 10 wet days and about 12.8 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Madison. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 31°F
- Normal low
- 15°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 1.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 12.8 in
- snow on the ground 22 days
How February changes from start to finish
| February 1 | February 28 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 27°F | 37°F |
| Normal low | 12°F | 20°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:12 am / 5:09 pm | 6:35 am / 5:45 pm |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 11.2 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical February day
- 6 am19°Fdew point 14°F
- 9 am22°Fdew point 15°F
- Noon27°Fdew point 17°F
- 3 pm29°Fdew point 17°F
- 6 pm27°Fdew point 17°F
- 9 pm24°Fdew point 16°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Madison Dane Rgnl Airport (6 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 28
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 28
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 28
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow10 of 28
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in4 of 28
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below27 of 28
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more22 of 28
Average days per February, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in February
Normal precipitation is 1.5 in; a dry February brings about 0.9 in and a wet one about 2.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 12.8 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How February varies from year to year
- Warmest February, 1991-20202017: average high 42°F
- Coolest February2015: average high 21°F
- Wettest February2008: 3.3 in
- Driest February1995: 0.06 in
- Highest reading68°F (February 22, 2017)
- Lowest reading-29°F (February 3, 1996)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
February compared with January and March
| January | February | March | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 27°F | 31°F | 44°F |
| Normal low | 12°F | 15°F | 25°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 10 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Daylight | 9.4 h | 10.5 h | 11.9 h |
Highs change by +4°F from January and +13°F into March.
Nearby alternatives in February
- Warmer: Davenport, IA123 mi · high 37°F · 9 wet days
How Madison ranks in February
- Normal high360th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 5 in Wisconsin
- Wet days254th driest of 378
- Comfortable days337th most of 340
What to pack for Madison in February
- A warm jacket – lows near 15°F, highs near 31°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 22 days
- A hat and gloves – about 27 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
February has 1175 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 15% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Madison in February?
The normal high is 31°F and the normal low is 15°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest February reading was -29°F (February 3, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Madison in February?
About 10 days in February have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.5 in. The wettest February in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (3.3 in); the driest was in 1995 (0.06 in).
Does it snow in Madison in February?
Yes. Normal snowfall in February is 12.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 22 days.
Is February a good time to visit Madison?
February ranks 10th of 12 months on our comfort score for Madison (29 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Madison Dane Rgnl Airport (USW00014837), 5.5 mi NNE of the city center, 866 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Dane Co Regional-Truax Field Airport (726410-14837), 5.5 mi NNE of the city center, 859 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).