How cold is Minnesota? | MinnPost (2024)

FAQs

Is Minnesota the coldest state? ›

Minnesota is the third-coldest state in the U.S. Located in the Upper Midwest region of the United States and touching Lake Superior to its northeast, the state's climate is greatly affected by its latitude and proximity to Lake Superior.

The cold season lasts for 3.3 months, from November 26 to March 4, with an average daily high temperature below 36°F. The coldest month of the year in Minneapolis is January, with an average low of 10°F and high of 24°F.

Places with more altitude tend to be cooler, and also places where winter weather is influenced by cold, dry arctic air masses from Canada. That's why Minnesota and its neighbors are among the coldest states.

So where does Minnesota stand in terms of the coldest places in the U.S.? Well, no surprise, Alaska beats everyone -- by a lot. The state's average annual temp is 26 degrees, while Minnesota's is 40.1.

North Dakota tops the list of coldest states in winter and fall, based on state-wide average temperatures. During spring, Maine is coldest, while in summer it's Wyoming. Some states are among the ten coldest states year round. Consistently cold throughout the year are Maine, Vermont, Montana and Wyoming.

Minneapolis is by far the coldest, but Boston often gets more snow than the other two. Chicago is somewhere in the middle in terms of both snow and cold, but is that best of both worlds or best of no worlds?

Summer heat and humidity predominate in the southern part of the state, while warm and less humid conditions are generally present in the north. Summer high temperatures in Minnesota average in the mid-80s°F (30°C) in the south to the upper 70s°F (25°C) in the northern half of the state.

The average annual snowfall in Minnesota varies from 36 inches in the southwest to more than 70 inches along the Lake Superior "snow belt." Although snow is an important component of Minnesota's hydrology, the water found in the snow comprises less than 20 percent of the total precipitation received annually.

Minnesota has four distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. In the summer the weather is generally warm and humid. In autumn, leaves turn colors and the temperature gradually starts to drop. Winter in Minnesota is usually very long, from November through March.

Is Minnesota a good place to live? ›

Minnesota (in our opinion) is easily one of the best states to live in the US. But what are the best places to live in Minnesota once you're here? With four seasons and 10,000 lakes, Minnesota has a nice, small-town charm. Safe neighborhoods, clean schools, and gainful employment.

Nevertheless, they have similar climates. Both cities experience mean January temperatures of about 14°F (–10°C), while Julys are about 66°F (18.9°C) in Moscow and 74°F (23.3°C) in Minneapolis on average.

No, North Dakota is just always that cold. In fact, it ranks as the coldest state in the lower 48. July and August are the only months when it hasn't snowed here.

What state has the best weather? Many cities in southern and central California like San Diego and Santa Barbara have year-round temperatures typically between 60 and 85 degrees and see little rainfall, making California the state with the best weather!

Because of its location in North America, Minnesota experiences temperature extremes characteristic of a continental climate, with cold winters and mild to hot summers in the south and frigid winters and generally cool summers in the north.

Fairbanks, Alaska (27.6°F)

Even with our “population of at least 10,000” stipulation, Alaska manages to take the win. The city experiences a mean annual temperature of 27.6°F—that's below the freezing point! For those interested in records, the lowest temperature on record for Fairbanks is -66°F.

Snow falls in 49 of the 50 states in most winters; Florida being the lone exception. Northern portions of Florida, especially in the panhandle, experience some flurries during most, but not all winters.

Research from website 24/7 Wall St. found that Fairbanks, Alaska, is the coldest city in the U.S. with the minimum average temperature in the coldest month a bone-chilling -16.9° F. The lowest temperature ever recorded there is -66° F.

What is Minnesota famous for? ›

The state is known as the Land of 10,000 lakes, which is the highest number of any state in the United States. Minnesota is also famous for being the home of Mall of America, the largest shopping mall in the United States; and its outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, fishing, and winter activities.

The Department of Natural Resources says January is the snowiest month in the Twin Cities metro area, with an average of 12.2 inches. It is followed by December (11.9), March (10.3), November (9.3), February (7.7) and April (2.4).

Snow probably has occurred there in very late August, although we have never found an official record of such. July snow would be an extremely rare event, and has not likely occurred in the last 300 years. Snow probably has never occurred between June 20 and August 20 since the USA took over the region in 1815."

Any seasoned Minnesotan knows the value of the right winter gear—a quality winter coat, durable waterproof boots, a warm hat, a long scarf, and a pair of thick mittens or gloves. With these items, you'll make it through most Minnesota winter days just fine.

The cloudiest months are November and December, with an average of 18 cloudy days. November averages five days with clear skies and December six. In summer, skies are clearer.

In Minnesota's case, some of the moisture is coming all the way from the Gulf of Mexico, where the sun evaporates the water from air. Strong wind then pushes it all the way up north. Humidity can also come from the water plants release during photosynthesis.

Embarrass is an unincorporated community in Embarrass Township, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The community is located on the Mesabi Iron Range. With an average annual temperature of 36.4 °F (2.4 °C), Embarrass is notable as the coldest place in Minnesota.

The Winter of 1877-78 is the warmest Meteorological Winter on record in the Twin Cities. The winter of 1877-78 was dubbed the "Year without a Winter." Indeed, the winter of 1877-78 is the warmest winter on record for the Twin Cities with a December-February average temperature of 29 degrees.

What is America's snowiest city? ›

HOW DO WINTER STORMS FORM? Syracuse takes home the crown as the snowiest city in America, averaging 127.8 inches each winter. That's just shy of 11 feet of snow, most of which is courtesy of the large body of water to its northwest: Lake Ontario.

Minnesota lies along the north edge of the region of maximum tornado occurrence in the United States. often referred to as Tornado Alley . In Minnesota, tornadoes have occurred in every month from March through November.

Minnesota takes top spot, thanks to its extraordinarily friendly residents. It's called 'Minnesota Nice' for a reason – the atmosphere in the Twin Cities and beyond is hard to match, with a homey feel and locals who go the extra mile to welcome tourists.

The cost of living in Minnesota is 1% lower than the national average. Housing is 11% lower than the national average, while utilities are 3% lower. When it comes to basic necessities such as food and clothing, groceries are around 7% higher than in the rest of the country, while clothing costs 7% higher.

Dudinka, a city located in Russia's Siberian territory above the Arctic Circle, has an average daily minimum temperature of minus 28 degrees (minus 33.3 Celsius) in January, according to AccuWeather. Oymyakon, Russia is widely believed to be the coldest inhabited place on the planet.

That accolade belongs to the Russian city of Yakutsk (opens in new tab). Located in Siberia, one of the world's coldest and most sparsely populated (opens in new tab) regions, Yakutsk is home to around 336,200 people (opens in new tab), many of whom work for Alrosa, a company that runs a diamond mine in the city .

Where Has It Never Snowed In the U.S.? Extreme South Florida: Within the “Sunshine State,” no city south of Homestead has ever observed snow. Florida's low latitude and low elevation mean temperatures rarely get cold enough for snow to fall, let alone accumulate on the ground.

1. Florida. Florida is the hottest state in the U.S., with an average annual temperature of 71.5°F (21.9°C) between 1991 and 2020. It is the southernmost contiguous U.S. state with a subtropical climate in its northern and central regions and a tropical climate in its southern regions.

What state does not get cold? ›

1. California

You can't beat the south and central California coast for pleasant temperatures year round. Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria all have average daily highs no lower than the mid-60s for any month of the year.

In the United States in 2021, Mississippi recorded 66.84 inches of precipitation, the highest amount of within the contiguous 48 states that year. Nevada was the driest state, with only 9.56 inches of precipitation recorded.

IN NORTH DAKOTA, EVERY SEASON 'TIS THE SEASON

Spring, summer, fall and winter all give the people here something to look forward to. Take a stroll through the seasons below and you'll see why North Dakotans eagerly anticipate and welcome each one.

Minnesota. Minnesota is the third-coldest state in the U.S. Located in the Upper Midwest region of the United States and touching Lake Superior to its northeast, the state's climate is greatly affected by its latitude and proximity to Lake Superior.

Assuming that it is agreed that a two-inch snowfall is "plowable", the "Days with Snowfall - 2.0 inches and greater" table below indicates that on average, a plowable snowfall occurs in the Twin Cities roughly seven days per season.

On average across the year, no, Minnesota, United States is not colder than Quebec, Canada . Minnesota, United States has an average minimum temperature of 2°C/36°F and Quebec, Canada has an average minimum temperature of 1°C/34°F.

The state's average annual recorded temperature between 1901 and 2000, a time period that allows easy comparison with other states, was is 40.1 degrees Fahrenheit. That puts Minnesota tied for second in the lower 48, along with Maine. North Dakota is the coldest in the contiguous U.S., at 39.7 degrees on average.

The climate of Minnesota is typical of a continental climate with cold, often frigid winters and hot, humid summers. The state's location in the Upper Midwest allows it to experience some of the widest variety of weather in the United States, with each of the four seasons having its own distinct characteristics.

Minnesota has four distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. In the summer the weather is generally warm and humid. In autumn, leaves turn colors and the temperature gradually starts to drop. Winter in Minnesota is usually very long, from November through March.

Is Minnesota always snowy? ›

It has snowed in Minnesota during every month with the exception of July, and the state averages 110 days per year with snow cover of an inch (2.5 cm) or greater.

The average annual precipitation (rainfall plus the water equivalent found in snowfall) in Minnesota ranges from nearly 18 inches in the far northwest to more than 32 inches in the southeast.

Snow falls in 49 of the 50 states in most winters; Florida being the lone exception. Northern portions of Florida, especially in the panhandle, experience some flurries during most, but not all winters.