Fish Lake, MN climate
Fish Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 44 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Fish Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Fish Lake 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° | 0.8" | 5.4" | 5 | 29 | 0° – 26° |
| February | 28° | 8° | 0.8" | 10.0" | 4 | 25 | 5° – 31° |
| March | 40° | 20° | 1.6" | 7.4" | 5 | 18 | 22° – 45° |
| April | 55° | 33° | 2.8" | 4.0" | 7 | 3 | 34° – 52° |
| May | 68° | 45° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 51° – 64° |
| June | 77° | 55° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| July | 81° | 60° | 4.4" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 64° – 76° |
| August | 79° | 58° | 4.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| September | 71° | 50° | 3.3" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 52° – 66° |
| October | 57° | 37° | 2.9" | 0.5" | 7 | 0 | 40° – 52° |
| November | 40° | 25° | 1.6" | 4.5" | 5 | 8 | 22° – 44° |
| December | 27° | 12° | 1.1" | 12.3" | 5 | 21 | 5° – 29° |
| Year | 54° | 34° | 31.7" | 44.1" | 79 | 104 |
“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 Fish Lake
Fish Lake gets 32 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 79 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 104 days of the year.
About 153 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first one by October 4. That leaves about 153 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 78% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Fish Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Fish Lake, 94% of that work is heating and 6% 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.
Fish Lake and its neighbors
Fish Lake borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.7°. Nessel has the coldest January nights (4°) and Harris the hottest July afternoons (82°). Fish Lake’s January low is 4° and its July high 81°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Fish Lake 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 Fish Lake averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.7°). The shift is larger than in 71% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Fish Lake’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 5° to 31°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Fish Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Fish Lake?
January, with a typical high of 22° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in Fish Lake?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 60°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Fish Lake get?
About 44 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Fish Lake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 4, and the last spring frost by May 2.
What is the rainiest month in Fish Lake?
July, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 32 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Fish Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Cambridge, MN (8 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.