Garrison, MN climate
Garrison has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 1°, and about 48 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Garrison feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Garrison 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 | 19° | 1° | 0.7" | 10.0" | 8 | 29 | -2° – 25° |
| February | 25° | 5° | 0.8" | 8.3" | 6 | 27 | 5° – 30° |
| March | 38° | 17° | 1.4" | 9.2" | 7 | 22 | 19° – 41° |
| April | 53° | 30° | 2.3" | 4.3" | 9 | 5 | 32° – 50° |
| May | 66° | 43° | 3.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| June | 75° | 53° | 4.4" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| July | 80° | 58° | 4.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 61° – 74° |
| August | 78° | 55° | 3.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| September | 69° | 48° | 3.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 51° – 64° |
| October | 54° | 36° | 2.9" | 0.7" | 10 | 1 | 38° – 50° |
| November | 38° | 22° | 1.4" | 5.7" | 7 | 10 | 21° – 41° |
| December | 24° | 9° | 1.0" | 10.0" | 9 | 25 | 4° – 26° |
| Year | 52° | 31° | 29.7" | 48.2" | 113 | 118 |
“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 Garrison
Garrison gets 30 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 113 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 118 days of the year.
About 138 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 13 and the first one by September 27. That leaves about 138 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 90% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Garrison
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Garrison, 95% of that work is heating and 5% 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.
Garrison and its neighbors
Garrison borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.6°. Hazelton has the coldest January nights (1°) and Maple Grove the hottest July afternoons (80°). Garrison’s January low is 1° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Garrison 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 Garrison averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.9°). The shift is larger than in 90% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Garrison’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 -2° to 25°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Garrison’s climate
What is the coldest month in Garrison?
January, with a typical high of 19° and a low of 1°.
What is the hottest month in Garrison?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 58°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Garrison get?
About 48 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Garrison?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 27, and the last spring frost by May 13.
What is the rainiest month in Garrison?
July, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 30 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Garrison itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Brainerd, MN (16 mi, snow) and Brainerd Crow Wing Co Airport, MN (14 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.