Average Temperatures for Minnesota
There’s no doubt that Minnesota has a cool climate, but did you know that it’s actually not the coldest State in the U.S.? In fact, it’s not even the second or third coldest State in the U.S., it’s the fourth according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), for the years 1971-2000. The following chart shows the average monthly temperatures for Minnesota, in relation to the rest of the contiguous U.S. states.
Average Temperature by Month (1971-2000) | |||||||||||||
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Average | |
Minnesota | 8 | 15 | 28 | 42 | 56 | 65 | 69 | 67 | 57 | 45 | 28 | 14 | 41 |
U.S. Average * | 30 | 34 | 42 | 51 | 61 | 69 | 74 | 72 | 65 | 54 | 42 | 33 | 52 |
*excluding Alaska and Hawaii |
(SOURCE: NOAA – Alaska is not included in the above data, but it actually has the lowest Average Temperature of any State in the U.S., followed by North Dakota, Maine, and then Minnesota)
Average annual precipitation (rain)
Northwest: 19 inches/year
Southeast: 34 inches/year
Average annual snowfall
Northeast: 70 inches/year
Southwest: 35 inches/year
Latest spring freeze
April 29 – metro area
May 27 – far north
Earliest fall freeze
October 5 – metro area
September 16 – far north
Extreme Weather Conditions in Minnesota
What’s less known about Minnesota weather are the extreme weather conditions in the summer months. The following is a chart of Minnesota weather extremes that includes both winter and summer months.
Climate Extremes for Minnesota | ||||
Temperature | Record | Date | Location | County |
Maximum | 114 degrees F. | July 29, 1917 July 6, 1936 |
Beardsley Moorhead |
Big Stone Clay |
Minimum | -60 degrees F. | February 2, 1996 | near Tower | St. Louis |
Maximum 24-hour change | 71 degrees F. | April 3, 1982 | Lamberton | Redwood |
Dewpoint | ||||
Highest Dewpoint – Twin Cities | 82 degrees F. | July 19, 2011 | Minneapolis-St. Paul | Hennepin |
Highest Dewpoint – Statewide | 88 degrees F. | July 19, 2011 | Moorhead, MN | Clay |
Heat Index – A measure of how hot it feels to the human body when combining temperature and humidity | ||||
Highest Heat Index – Twin Cities | 119 degrees F. | July 11, 1966 (tied July 19, 2011) |
Minneapolis-St. Paul | Hennepin |
Highest Heat Index – Statewide | 134 degrees F. (unofficial) |
July 19, 2011 | Moorhead | Clay |
Snow (also see Snow Storms and Blizzards) | ||||
Maximum 24-hour snowfall | 36.0 inches | January 7, 1994 | near Finland | Lake |
Maximum single storm snowfall | 46.5 inches | January 6-8, 1994 | near Finland | Lake |
Maximum seasonal snowfall | 170.5 inches | 1949-1950 | near Grand Portage | Cook |
Maximum snow cover | 75 inches | March 28, 1950 | near Grand Portage | Cook |
Earliest measurable snowfall | 0.3 inches | Sept. 14, 1964 | International Falls | Koochiching |
Latest measurable snowfall – Statewide | 1.5 inches | June 4, 1935 | Mizpah | Koochiching |
Latest measurable snowfall – Twin Cities | 0.1 inches | May 24, 1925 | Twin Cities | |
Rain | ||||
Maximum 24-hour total | 15.10 inches | August 19, 2007 | Hokah | Houston |
Maximum monthly total | 23.86 inches | August 2007 | Hokah | Houston |
Maximum annual total | 53.52 inches | 1991 | St. Francis | Anoka |
Minimum annual total | 6.37 inches | 1976 | Ortonville | Big Stone |
Longest dry spell | 79 days | 11/9/43 – 1/26/44 | Beardsley, Canby, Marshall, Dawson |
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Wind | ||||
Maximum measured gust (1) | 121 mph (unofficial) | September 1, 2011 | Donaldson, MN | Kittson |
110 mph (tornado) | August 20, 1904 | Minneapolis, MN | Hennepin | |
Barometric Pressure | ||||
Maximum | 31.11 inches | January 21, 1922 | Collegeville | Stearns |
Minimum (NWS – Duluth, MN) | 28.21 inches | October 26, 2010 | Bigfork | Itasca |
(1) These are “recorded” wind speeds. Gusts as high as 170 mph have been reported (Wadena, MN 2010), but never verified because most wind speed devices blow away or get damaged in high wind gust situations.
(SOURCE: Most Data from Minnesota Climatology Working Group)
Additional Minnesota Facts and Stats:
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