Grand Rapids vs Traverse City: which is sunnier?
🇺🇸 United States vs 🇺🇸 United States · 207 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Grand Rapids and Traverse City are virtually tied for annual sunshine — about 2,024 vs 1,987 hours a year. Grand Rapids has the higher Sunshine Score in 3 of 12 months; the other 9 are within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Grand Rapids | Traverse City | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 2,024 | 1,987 |
| Sunniest month | July (76/100) | July (78/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 0/100 | 0/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 75/100 | 76/100 |
| Rain / year | 967 mm | 889 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 7 (high) | 7 (high) |
Grand Rapids vs Traverse City month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | Traverse City | Grand Rapids | Traverse City | Grand Rapids | Traverse City | |
| January | 0 | 0 | -2° | -3° | 62 | 52 |
| February | 0 | 0 | 0° | -2° | 60 | 44 |
| March | 0 | 0 | 6° | 4° | 63 | 55 |
| April | 30 | 18 | 13° | 11° | 96 | 89 |
| May | 65 | 61 | 19° | 18° | 104 | 93 |
| June | 74 | 75 | 24° | 23° | 89 | 84 |
| July | 76 | 78 | 27° | 26° | 79 | 69 |
| August | 75 | 76 | 26° | 26° | 87 | 79 |
| September | 76 | 75 | 23° | 22° | 79 | 83 |
| October | 41 | 35 | 15° | 14° | 109 | 107 |
| November | 0 | 0 | 8° | 7° | 73 | 70 |
| December | 0 | 0 | 1° | 0° | 66 | 64 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar even · Apr Grand Rapids · May Grand Rapids · Jun even · Jul even · Aug even · Sep even · Oct Grand Rapids · Nov even · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Grand Rapids averages 0/100, Traverse City 0/100. Daytime highs are similar (2°C vs 1°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Grand Rapids (average score 32/100 vs 26). Grand Rapids is the warmer, around 13°C daytime highs vs 11°C.
- June–August: too close to call — Grand Rapids averages 75/100, Traverse City 76/100. Daytime highs are similar (26°C vs 25°C).
- September–October: Grand Rapids (average score 59/100 vs 55). Daytime highs are similar (19°C vs 18°C).
Full month-by-month guides: Grand Rapids weather by month · Traverse City weather by month · Best time to visit United States.
More comparisons: Grand Rapids vs Lansing · Grand Rapids vs Flint · Grand Rapids vs Kalamazoo · Traverse City vs Lansing · Traverse City vs Green Bay · all head-to-heads