Mahnomen has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to -1°, and about 71 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Mahnomen at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Mahnomen’s climate
Read from where Mahnomen sits among Minnesota’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
71 inches of snow, 31 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 129 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
What a year in Mahnomen feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Living with Mahnomen’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
118 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 26 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 23.
About 71" a winter over 20 days with an inch or more, most in December. Snow covers the ground about 138 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through May. Heating is 98% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 6 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 78°.
The nicest months are June, July, August and September.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Mahnomen averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.8°).
A bigger shift than in 92% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
About 118 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 26 and the first by September 23.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Mahnomen and its neighbors
Stoney Brook has the coldest January nights next door (-1°) and Brevator the hottest July afternoons (78°). Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
How Mahnomen compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Minnesota.
Mahnomen 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° | 0.9" | 13.5" | 10 | 31 | -4° – 23° |
| February | 24° | 3° | 0.9" | 13.5" | 8 | 29 | 3° – 28° |
| March | 37° | 15° | 1.3" | 10.3" | 9 | 27 | 17° – 39° |
| April | 50° | 28° | 2.4" | 6.4" | 10 | 8 | 31° – 46° |
| May | 64° | 38° | 3.3" | 0.3" | 12 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| June | 73° | 48° | 4.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 56° – 64° |
| July | 78° | 54° | 4.2" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 59° – 71° |
| August | 76° | 52° | 3.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| September | 67° | 45° | 3.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| October | 53° | 33° | 3.0" | 1.8" | 12 | 1 | 36° – 47° |
| November | 36° | 20° | 1.7" | 9.6" | 10 | 14 | 19° – 39° |
| December | 23° | 7° | 1.3" | 15.9" | 11 | 28 | 3° – 25° |
| Year | 50° | 28° | 30.5" | 71.3" | 129 | 138 |
Heating and cooling a home in Mahnomen
98% 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. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -4° to 23°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Mahnomen’s climate
What is the coldest month in Mahnomen?
January, with a typical high of 19° and a low of -1°.
What is the hottest month in Mahnomen?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 54°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Mahnomen get?
About 71 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Mahnomen?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 23, and the last spring frost by May 26.
What is the rainiest month in Mahnomen?
June, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 31 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Mahnomen.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Mahnomen itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Cloquet, MN (5 mi) away. 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.