Albert Lea, MN climate
Albert Lea has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 40 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Albert Lea feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Albert Lea weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23° | 7° | 1.0" | 8.9" | 7 | 26 | 4° – 27° |
| February | 28° | 11° | 1.0" | 9.8" | 6 | 21 | 8° – 30° |
| March | 40° | 23° | 2.0" | 6.6" | 8 | 14 | 24° – 48° |
| April | 56° | 35° | 3.6" | 2.8" | 11 | 2 | 34° – 53° |
| May | 68° | 47° | 4.8" | 0.3" | 13 | 0 | 51° – 64° |
| June | 78° | 58° | 5.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| July | 81° | 61° | 4.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 77° |
| August | 79° | 58° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| September | 73° | 50° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 54° – 67° |
| October | 59° | 37° | 2.5" | 0.3" | 10 | 0 | 42° – 53° |
| November | 42° | 25° | 1.7" | 2.7" | 7 | 4 | 24° – 46° |
| December | 28° | 13° | 1.3" | 8.1" | 7 | 18 | 6° – 29° |
| Year | 55° | 35° | 35.8" | 39.5" | 111 | 84 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Albert Lea
Albert Lea gets 36 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 111 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 84 days of the year.
About 164 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 27 and the first one by October 9. That leaves about 164 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 67% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Albert Lea
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Albert Lea, 92% of that work is heating and 8% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
Albert Lea and its neighbors
Albert Lea borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.3°. Bancroft has the coldest January nights (6°) and Albert Lea the hottest July afternoons (81°). Albert Lea’s January low is 7° and its July high 81°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Albert Lea compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Albert Lea averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.0°). The shift is smaller than in 80% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Albert Lea’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 24° to 48°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Albert Lea’s climate
What is the coldest month in Albert Lea?
January, with a typical high of 23° and a low of 7°.
What is the hottest month in Albert Lea?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 61°. About 8 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Albert Lea get?
About 40 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Albert Lea?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 9, and the last spring frost by April 27.
What is the rainiest month in Albert Lea?
June, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 36 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Albert Lea itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Albert Lea 3se, MN (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.