Frontenac has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 6°, and about 34 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Frontenac at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Frontenac’s climate
Read from where Frontenac sits among Minnesota’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
34 inches of snow, 34 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 99 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Living with Frontenac’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
173 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 23 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 14.
About 34" a winter over 11 days with an inch or more, most in February. Snow covers the ground about 74 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 92% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 11 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 83°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 2.1 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →About 173 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first by October 14.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Frontenac averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°).
A smaller shift than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
What a year in Frontenac feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
How Frontenac compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Minnesota.
Frontenac 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 | 24° | 6° | 1.0" | 6.4" | 6 | 21 | 4° – 29° |
| February | 29° | 10° | 1.0" | 11.9" | 5 | 23 | 6° – 32° |
| March | 42° | 23° | 1.9" | 6.3" | 7 | 12 | 23° – 49° |
| April | 57° | 35° | 3.1" | 1.8" | 10 | 2 | 35° – 54° |
| May | 69° | 47° | 4.3" | 0.3" | 12 | 0 | 53° – 65° |
| June | 79° | 57° | 5.3" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| July | 83° | 61° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 65° – 78° |
| August | 80° | 59° | 4.6" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| September | 73° | 51° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 54° – 67° |
| October | 59° | 38° | 2.6" | 0.3" | 9 | 0 | 43° – 54° |
| November | 43° | 26° | 1.7" | 1.3" | 6 | 2 | 25° – 46° |
| December | 29° | 13° | 1.3" | 5.2" | 7 | 14 | 8° – 31° |
| Year | 55° | 35° | 34.4" | 33.5" | 99 | 74 |
Heating and cooling a home in Frontenac
92% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 6° to 32°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Frontenac’s climate
What is the coldest month in Frontenac?
January, with a typical high of 24° and a low of 6°.
What is the hottest month in Frontenac?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 61°. About 11 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Frontenac get?
About 34 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Frontenac?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 14, and the last spring frost by April 23.
What is the rainiest month in Frontenac?
June, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 34 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Frontenac.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Frontenac itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Lake City, MN (6 mi, snow) and Red Wing Dam 3, MN (15 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.