February is one of the cooler months of the year in Madison, with average highs near 11.8°C and lows around 1°C (mean 6.4°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 134 mm of rainfall and 84% relative humidity across the period.
February is one of the cooler months of the year in Madison. Across 45 years of records, the warmest February in Madison was 2018 — when the month averaged 11.3°C — while the coldest was 2015 at 1.1°C. Typical February days reach 11.8°C with nights near 1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
February is a relatively wet time of year in Madison, averaging 134 mm of rainfall. The wettest February on record was 2020 with 315 mm, while the driest was 2000 at 55 mm.
Relative humidity in Madison during February averages 84%. The most humid Februarys were 1989 and 2020 at 89%, and the least humid was 2000 at 78%.
February receives about 3.1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Madison. The sunniest Februarys were 2002 and 2007 at 3.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2004, 2019 and 2020, among others at 2.5.
Average wind speed in Madison during February is 1.4 m/s. The windiest Februarys were 2009, 2011 and 2015, among others at 1.6 m/s, while the calmest were 1997, 1999 and 2010, among others at 1.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 5.2°C | 6.7°C | 6.1°C | 6.7°C | 7.7°C | +2.5°C |
| Avg High | 10.5°C | 11.9°C | 11.7°C | 12.0°C | 13.3°C | +2.8°C |
| Avg Low | -0.1°C | 1.5°C | 0.5°C | 1.5°C | 2.2°C | +2.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 128 mm | 144 mm | 105 mm | 136 mm | 174 mm | +46 mm |
February temperatures in Madison have risen by about 2.8°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
February has ranged from a record low of -24.1°C (1996) to a record high of 25.5°C (2023).
Rainfall in February is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 134 mm, with a wettest year of 315 mm.
A quieter season to visit Madison
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of September and May tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Madison. That said, February — with days averaging 11.8°C and nights around 1°C (mean 6.4°C) and higher rainfall (134 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14.2°C | 8.4°C | 2.6°C | 23.1°C | -8.4°C | 124 mm | 81% | 1.4 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2024 | 15.3°C | 9.3°C | 3.3°C | 21.7°C | -5.4°C | 115 mm | 80% | 1.4 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2023 | 15.4°C | 10.3°C | 5.1°C | 25.5°C | -5.3°C | 129 mm | 87% | 1.5 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2022 | 12.8°C | 6.6°C | 0.3°C | 20.4°C | -6.1°C | 220 mm | 83% | 1.5 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2021 | 9.6°C | 4.3°C | -0.9°C | 23.2°C | -10.8°C | 139 mm | 85% | 1.5 m/s | 3 |
| 2020 🌧️ | 12.3°C | 7.4°C | 2.5°C | 20.2°C | -5.4°C | 315 mm | 89% | 1.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2019 | 15.3°C | 10.1°C | 4.9°C | 22.4°C | -3.2°C | 310 mm | 88% | 1.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2018 🔥 | 16.7°C | 11.3°C | 5.9°C | 24.8°C | -5.7°C | 257 mm | 86% | 1.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2017 | 16.4°C | 10.4°C | 4.4°C | 23.5°C | -5.6°C | 75 mm | 83% | 1.4 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2016 | 12.0°C | 6.9°C | 1.9°C | 21.1°C | -5.5°C | 154 mm | 83% | 1.5 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2015 ❄️ | 6.3°C | 1.1°C | -4.1°C | 16.3°C | -13.9°C | 94 mm | 80% | 1.6 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2014 | 10.5°C | 5.1°C | -0.3°C | 21.2°C | -6.7°C | 144 mm | 83% | 1.4 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2013 | 10.4°C | 5.3°C | 0.1°C | 17.1°C | -5.6°C | 102 mm | 85% | 1.4 m/s | 3 |
| 2012 | 13.4°C | 8.3°C | 3.1°C | 21.9°C | -6.3°C | 80 mm | 86% | 1.4 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2011 | 12.9°C | 7.1°C | 1.4°C | 23.2°C | -5.9°C | 63 mm | 83% | 1.6 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2010 | 6.1°C | 1.8°C | -2.6°C | 15.8°C | -5.9°C | 82 mm | 86% | 1.3 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2009 | 12.0°C | 6.1°C | 0.1°C | 21.0°C | -10.8°C | 94 mm | 82% | 1.6 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2008 | 13.0°C | 6.8°C | 0.6°C | 22.1°C | -6.3°C | 101 mm | 82% | 1.5 m/s | 3 |
| 2007 | 9.3°C | 3.9°C | -1.5°C | 20.4°C | -6.9°C | 57 mm | 78% | 1.5 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2006 | 9.4°C | 4.4°C | -0.6°C | 18.6°C | -7.3°C | 87 mm | 82% | 1.4 m/s | 3 |
| 2005 | 12.9°C | 7.8°C | 2.7°C | 21.6°C | -4.7°C | 115 mm | 87% | 1.4 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2004 | 9.9°C | 4.8°C | -0.2°C | 16.6°C | -4.9°C | 166 mm | 85% | 1.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2003 | 10.7°C | 5.6°C | 0.6°C | 20.2°C | -6.8°C | 201 mm | 86% | 1.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2002 | 10.5°C | 4.8°C | -0.8°C | 18.9°C | -7.0°C | 58 mm | 80% | 1.4 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2001 | 13.6°C | 7.9°C | 2.1°C | 23.1°C | -5.9°C | 116 mm | 85% | 1.4 m/s | 3 |
| 2000 | 15.7°C | 9.0°C | 2.3°C | 23.0°C | -4.9°C | 55 mm | 78% | 1.4 m/s | 3.6 |
| 1999 | 13.6°C | 7.9°C | 2.2°C | 22.3°C | -5.6°C | 87 mm | 84% | 1.3 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1998 | 11.3°C | 6.8°C | 2.2°C | 19.1°C | -3.1°C | 172 mm | 88% | 1.6 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1997 | 12.9°C | 7.9°C | 2.8°C | 22.8°C | -3.8°C | 138 mm | 88% | 1.3 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1996 | 9.7°C | 4.2°C | -1.2°C | 22.6°C | -24.1°C | 67 mm | 88% | 1.5 m/s | 3 |
| 1995 | 10.2°C | 4.9°C | -0.5°C | 18.2°C | -9.5°C | 137 mm | 83% | 1.5 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1994 | 12.0°C | 6.5°C | 1.0°C | 21.4°C | -6.8°C | 201 mm | 86% | 1.4 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1993 | 9.7°C | 4.5°C | -0.8°C | 19.5°C | -6.6°C | 72 mm | 84% | 1.4 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1992 | 13.5°C | 8.3°C | 3.0°C | 18.6°C | -5.4°C | 113 mm | 84% | 1.3 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1991 | 12.0°C | 7.0°C | 1.9°C | 19.4°C | -7.1°C | 208 mm | 85% | 1.5 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1990 | 14.5°C | 9.2°C | 3.9°C | 20.4°C | -5.4°C | 248 mm | 88% | 1.6 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1989 | 8.9°C | 4.3°C | -0.2°C | 22.1°C | -12.1°C | 194 mm | 89% | 1.6 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1988 | 10.1°C | 4.0°C | -2.1°C | 18.7°C | -11.5°C | 63 mm | 81% | 1.4 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1987 | 11.0°C | 6.3°C | 1.5°C | 17.4°C | -5.7°C | 185 mm | 88% | 1.3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1986 | 12.7°C | 7.1°C | 1.5°C | 22.8°C | -8.4°C | 94 mm | 82% | 1.4 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1985 | 7.4°C | 2.3°C | -2.9°C | 20.3°C | -16.1°C | 111 mm | 88% | 1.4 m/s | 3 |
| 1984 | 11.9°C | 6.4°C | 0.8°C | 20.2°C | -7.8°C | 89 mm | 85% | 1.5 m/s | 3.6 |
| 1983 | 9.9°C | 5.1°C | 0.2°C | 17.5°C | -5.7°C | 149 mm | 87% | 1.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 9.9°C | 4.9°C | 0.0°C | 20.4°C | -7.2°C | 150 mm | 88% | 1.3 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 12.3°C | 6.4°C | 0.4°C | 22.8°C | -10.8°C | 113 mm | 79% | 1.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded February data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in February is around 11.8°C with lows near 1°C (mean 6.4°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
February averages 134 mm of rainfall in Madison, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 315 mm in 2020.
The hottest February reached 25.5°C in 2023. The coldest dipped to -24.1°C in 1996.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average February temperatures have risen by about 2.8°C. Daytime highs moved from 10.3°C to 13.5°C and overnight lows from -0.3°C to 2.1°C over the same span.
February is one of the cooler months of the year in Madison and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 11.8°C daytime highs and 1°C at night.
Not quite — February is the 3rd coolest month in Madison, averaging 6.4°C.
For February in Madison, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 11.8°C and lows of 1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in February averages 84% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in February is 1.4 m/s. The windiest February on record averaged 1.6 m/s (1989).
The wettest February on record was 2020 with 315 mm. On average, February sees 134 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Madison behaves each February, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for February specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
