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Weather & Climate in Bay City, MI
Temperature, precipitation, air quality, natural hazards, and monthly weather data.
Bay City experiences four distinct seasons with an average annual temperature of 48°F (9°C). Winters average 23°F in January while summers reach 72°F in July. The area gets 260 sunny days per year, above the national average. Annual precipitation totals 33.1 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 37. 76% of days have good air quality. The city sits at an elevation of 600 feet.
Temperature
23°F Jan (-5°C)
72°F Jul (22°C)
| Annual Average | 47.8°F |
| 11% below US avg | |
| January Average | 23°F (-5°C) |
| July Average | 72°F (22°C) |
| Sunny Days | 260 days/yr |
Geography
| Elevation | 600 ft (183 m) |
| Area | 11.2 sq mi (29.0 km²) |
| Population Density | 3,190/sq mi |
| Coordinates | 43.5901°N, 83.8884°W |
| Timezone | America/Detroit |
| County | Bay County County |
| Nearest Airport | Mbs International (MBS) 10 miles away |
Precipitation & Snow
Air Quality
| AQI Median | 37.0 |
| Rating | Good |
| Good Days % | 76.3% |
| Unhealthy Days | 0 |
Natural Hazard Risk
| Overall Risk | Relatively Low |
| Risk Score | 78.2 / 100 |
| Social Vulnerability | 44.1 / 100 |
| Community Resilience | 98.4 / 100 |
Hazard Breakdown
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate |
| Hurricane | Very Low |
| Earthquake | Very Low |
| Wildfire | Very Low |
| Flood | Relatively Moderate |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate |
| Drought | No Rating |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High |
| Landslide | Very Low |
| Coastal Flood | Relatively Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (Dec 2025)
Earthquake History
2 earthquakes (M2.5+) recorded within 150 km since 1990. Strongest on record: M3.5.
| Sep 2, 1994 | 5 km SSW of DeWitt, Michigan | M3.5 | 106 km | 5 km |
| May 23, 2022 | 2 km NNW of Corunna, Canada | M2.5 | 140 km | 5 km |
Source: USGS Earthquake Catalog (M2.5+, 1990-2025). Sorted by magnitude.
Tornado History
295 tornadoes (EF0+) recorded within 100 km since 1950. Strongest on record: EF5. Total: 128 fatalities, 1,096 injuries.
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Fatalities |
| Jun 8, 1953 | EF5 | 55 km | 18.9 mi | 116 |
| May 12, 1956 | EF4 | 68 km | 6.6 mi | 3 |
| Jun 8, 1953 | EF4 | 75 km | 33.8 mi | 0 |
| Jul 2, 1997 | EF3 | 51 km | 1.7 mi | 1 |
| Jul 2, 1997 | EF3 | 49 km | 2.0 mi | 0 |
| Jun 21, 1996 | EF3 | 31 km | 1.0 mi | 0 |
| Mar 27, 1991 | EF3 | 100 km | 21.0 mi | 0 |
| Mar 27, 1991 | EF3 | 83 km | 35.0 mi | 0 |
| Sep 2, 1984 | EF3 | 100 km | 15.6 mi | 0 |
| Aug 8, 1984 | EF3 | 67 km | 0.8 mi | 0 |
| Jun 12, 1984 | EF3 | 4 km | 48.0 mi | 0 |
| Mar 30, 1976 | EF3 | 66 km | 11.4 mi | 0 |
| Mar 30, 1976 | EF3 | 76 km | 6.4 mi | 1 |
| Jul 14, 1974 | EF3 | 66 km | 1.0 mi | 0 |
| Feb 28, 2024 | EF2 | 77 km | 5.7 mi | 0 |
| Jun 26, 2021 | EF2 | 83 km | 6.8 mi | 0 |
| Mar 14, 2019 | EF2 | 89 km | 18.2 mi | 0 |
| Jun 22, 2015 | EF2 | 39 km | 11.3 mi | 0 |
| May 28, 2013 | EF2 | 81 km | 4.6 mi | 0 |
| May 28, 2013 | EF2 | 83 km | 5.1 mi | 0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (EF0+, 1950-2024, US only).
Tsunami History
1 tsunami recorded within 500 km. Highest wave on record: 1.5 m (5 ft).
| Year | Location | Cause | Max Wave | Deaths | Distance |
| 1952 | LAKE HURON, MI | Avalanche | 1.5 m | - | 132 km |
Source: NOAA/NCEI Historical Tsunami Database.
Wildfire History
19 wildfires (100+ acres) recorded within 100 km. Largest: BRITTLE (5,912 acres, 2021).
| Year | Name | Acres Burned | Distance |
| 2021 | BRITTLE | 5,912 | 93 km |
| 2014 | UNNAMED | 3,759 | 93 km |
| 2018 | BRITTLE 04/30/2018 | 3,484 | 93 km |
| 2019 | UNNAMED | 2,349 | 96 km |
| 2005 | ROSCOMMON4 | 2,109 | 92 km |
| 2016 | UNNAMED | 1,796 | 96 km |
| 2017 | BRITTLE 20 AND 23 RX | 1,557 | 92 km |
| 2015 | UNNAMED | 1,434 | 96 km |
| 2015 | UNNAMED | 1,276 | 95 km |
| 2016 | UNNAMED | 1,217 | 93 km |
| 2015 | UNNAMED | 1,168 | 91 km |
| 2010 | BRITTLE FUELS BLOCK 10 | 1,076 | 95 km |
| 2016 | MEMORABLE RX | 946 | 97 km |
| 2018 | BRITTLE 05/05/2018 | 867 | 95 km |
| 2019 | UNNAMED | 642 | 94 km |
| 2007 | GALION | 637 | 87 km |
| 2019 | UNNAMED | 564 | 96 km |
| 2019 | MEMORABLE MIDDLE | 550 | 96 km |
| 2019 | CORSAIR BLOCK 8 | 541 | 89 km |
Source: NIFC/IRWIN Wildfire Records (100+ acres).
Monthly Weather
| Month | Avg Temperature | Precipitation | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23°F (-5°C) | 1.5 in | Coldest |
| February | 23°F (-5°C) | 1.2 in | Driest |
| March | 33°F (0°C) | 2.2 in | |
| April | 45°F (7°C) | 2.7 in | |
| May | 57°F (14°C) | 2.8 in | |
| June | 66°F (19°C) | 3.2 in | |
| July | 72°F (22°C) | 2.4 in | Warmest |
| August | 69°F (20°C) | 3.3 in | |
| September | 61°F (16°C) | 3.9 in | Wettest |
| October | 50°F (10°C) | 2.6 in | |
| November | 38°F (3°C) | 2.6 in | |
| December | 27°F (-3°C) | 2.0 in |
Bay City has a seasonal temperature swing of 49°F / from 23°F in January to 72°F in July. Total annual precipitation is 30.2 inches, with September being the wettest month (3.9") and February the driest (1.2").