Chill hours in Traverse City, Michigan: the last 10 winters
Ten seasons of winter chill for Traverse City, Michigan (44.7631, -85.6206), calculated from NASA POWER hourly temperatures across 2016–17 to 2025–26. Instead of comparing winters yourself or hunting for the nearest weather station, the three standard models for fruit trees and berries are already worked out below.
How the last season compared
The 2025–26 season delivered 911 chill hours, 223 below the ten-season average of 1134. That is a difference of 20%. It was the lowest of the ten seasons recorded here. Chill portions, which discount warm spells differently, came to 78.3 against a ten-season average of 87.2.
Ten-season average, low, and high
| Model | Average | Lowest season | Highest season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45°F Hours Hours between 0 and 7.2°C (32–45°F). | 1134.4 hours | 911.0 | 1717.0 |
| Utah Weighted bands; warm hours subtract from the total. | 750.1 units | 458.5 | 1172.0 |
| Dynamic Fishman–Erez model; handles warm spells. | 87.2 portions | 77.8 | 104.1 |
45°F Hours and Utah are counted over 1 November – 28 February, following the UC Davis convention. Dynamic is counted over 1 September – 31 March.
Season by season
| Season | 45°F Hours | Utah units | Chill portions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | 1145 | 848.0 | 88.0 |
| 2017–18 | 1070 | 785.5 | 79.6 |
| 2018–19 | 953 | 458.5 | 77.8 |
| 2019–20 | 1263 | 653.0 | 92.4 |
| 2020–21 | 1194 | 723.0 | 96.0 |
| 2021–22 | 930 | 733.5 | 78.1 |
| 2022–23 | 1227 | 666.0 | 94.9 |
| 2023–24 | 1717 | 1172.0 | 104.1 |
| 2024–25 | 934 | 815.0 | 83.4 |
| 2025–26 | 911 | 646.5 | 78.3 |
Which fruit varieties suit Traverse City?
The 3 most chill-demanding varieties that still fit an average of 1134 chill hours here.
| Variety | Species | Chill requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Rome Beauty | Apple | 1000 hours |
| Reliance | Peach | 1000 hours |
| McIntosh | Apple | 900 hours |
Station data for Michigan
NASA POWER is a grid estimate. For measured station data and local chill guidance, see Ask Extension: put a chill question to your state's Cooperative Extension service.
Other locations
No other page here sits within 500 km of Traverse City. All chill-hour locations.
Track this season in ChillCast
ChillCast tracks this season's chill for Traverse City, Michigan on your iPhone and compares it with the ten-season average above.
Generated
This page was generated on 2026-09-06.
About this data
Values are NASA POWER regional estimates (about 0.5° grid), not orchard measurements. Check your local extension service for station data.
Source: NASA POWER hourly 2-metre air temperature (MERRA-2). NASA does not endorse ChillCast.