Big Bend, MN climate
Big Bend has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 51 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Big Bend feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Big Bend 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 | 22° | 4° | 0.7" | 9.5" | 6 | 27 | -1° – 25° |
| February | 27° | 7° | 0.7" | 10.1" | 5 | 24 | 5° – 30° |
| March | 40° | 21° | 1.4" | 9.2" | 6 | 17 | 20° – 44° |
| April | 56° | 33° | 2.5" | 6.0" | 9 | 3 | 34° – 53° |
| May | 70° | 46° | 3.3" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 53° – 65° |
| June | 79° | 57° | 4.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| July | 83° | 61° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 64° – 78° |
| August | 81° | 58° | 3.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| September | 74° | 49° | 2.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 55° – 67° |
| October | 59° | 37° | 2.4" | 1.2" | 8 | 0 | 40° – 53° |
| November | 41° | 23° | 1.2" | 6.3" | 5 | 7 | 21° – 43° |
| December | 27° | 10° | 0.8" | 8.6" | 5 | 22 | 4° – 27° |
| Year | 55° | 34° | 27.0" | 51.0" | 90 | 100 |
“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 Big Bend
Big Bend gets 27 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 90 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 100 days of the year.
About 151 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 3 and the first one by October 2. That leaves about 151 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 80% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Big Bend
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Big Bend, 91% of that work is heating and 9% 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.
Big Bend and its neighbors
Big Bend borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.7°. West Bank has the coldest January nights (3°) and Tunsberg the hottest July afternoons (83°). Big Bend’s January low is 4° and its July high 83°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Big Bend 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 Big Bend averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.1°). The shift is larger than in 62% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Big Bend’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from -1° to 25°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Big Bend’s climate
What is the coldest month in Big Bend?
January, with a typical high of 22° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in Big Bend?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 61°. About 19 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Big Bend get?
About 51 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Big Bend?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 2, and the last spring frost by May 3.
What is the rainiest month in Big Bend?
June, with 4.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 27 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Big Bend itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Milan 1nw, MN (7 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.