Crystal Bay, MN climate
Crystal Bay has cold, snowy winters and cool summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to -2°, and about 94 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade3° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 60°, and a typical Oct 1 in Crystal Bay peaks around 57°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Crystal Bay feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Crystal Bay 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 | 17° | -2° | 1.2" | 24.0" | 10 | 31 | -5° – 20° |
| February | 23° | 1° | 1.1" | 15.5" | 8 | 29 | -1° – 27° |
| March | 35° | 12° | 1.4" | 12.1" | 9 | 29 | 14° – 36° |
| April | 47° | 25° | 2.5" | 8.5" | 9 | 16 | 29° – 43° |
| May | 61° | 37° | 3.2" | 0.4" | 12 | 1 | 44° – 55° |
| June | 70° | 47° | 4.2" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 54° – 64° |
| July | 75° | 52° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 57° – 69° |
| August | 74° | 51° | 3.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| September | 64° | 44° | 3.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 47° – 59° |
| October | 50° | 32° | 3.1" | 1.5" | 11 | 1 | 35° – 45° |
| November | 34° | 19° | 2.0" | 10.0" | 10 | 14 | 16° – 37° |
| December | 22° | 6° | 1.7" | 22.2" | 10 | 30 | 1° – 23° |
| Year | 48° | 27° | 31.0" | 94.2" | 129 | 149 |
“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 Crystal Bay
Crystal Bay gets 31 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 129 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 149 days of the year.
About 137 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 15 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 137 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 91% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Crystal Bay
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Crystal Bay, 98% of that work is heating and 2% 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.
Crystal Bay and its neighbors
Crystal Bay borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 4.6°. Stony River has the coldest January nights (-4°) and Fall Lake the hottest July afternoons (77°). Crystal Bay’s January low is -2° and its July high 75°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Crystal Bay 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 Crystal Bay averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.4°). The shift is larger than in 77% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Crystal Bay’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from -1° to 27°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Crystal Bay’s climate
What is the coldest month in Crystal Bay?
January, with a typical high of 17° and a low of -2°.
What is the hottest month in Crystal Bay?
July, with a typical high of 75° and a low of 52°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Crystal Bay get?
About 94 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Crystal Bay?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 15.
What is the rainiest month in Crystal Bay?
June, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 31 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Crystal Bay itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Wolf Ridge Elc, MN (12 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.