French Lake, MN climate
French Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 41 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in French Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
French 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° | 0.7" | 5.6" | 5 | 27 | 1° – 26° |
| February | 27° | 8° | 0.8" | 11.4" | 5 | 22 | 6° – 30° |
| March | 40° | 21° | 1.5" | 6.0" | 6 | 18 | 21° – 46° |
| April | 55° | 34° | 2.6" | 5.1" | 8 | 3 | 34° – 52° |
| May | 68° | 46° | 3.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 52° – 64° |
| June | 78° | 57° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| July | 82° | 61° | 3.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 64° – 77° |
| August | 79° | 58° | 3.9" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| September | 72° | 50° | 3.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| October | 57° | 37° | 2.4" | 0.7" | 9 | 1 | 40° – 52° |
| November | 40° | 24° | 1.4" | 2.9" | 5 | 3 | 23° – 43° |
| December | 27° | 11° | 1.0" | 9.4" | 6 | 17 | 5° – 27° |
| Year | 54° | 34° | 29.3" | 41.1" | 88 | 89 |
“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 French Lake
French Lake gets 29 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 88 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 89 days of the year.
About 162 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first one by October 10. That leaves about 162 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 69% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in French Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In French Lake, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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.
French Lake and its neighbors
French Lake borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.7°. Kingston has the coldest January nights (4°) and Cokato the hottest July afternoons (82°). French Lake’s January low is 4° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How French 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 French Lake averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 73% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at French Lake’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 26°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about French Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in French Lake?
January, with a typical high of 22° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in French Lake?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 61°. About 9 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does French Lake get?
About 41 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in French Lake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 10, and the last spring frost by April 30.
What is the rainiest month in French Lake?
June, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 29 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for French Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Dassel 3se, MN (11 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.