Peterson, MN climate
Peterson has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 45 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeRight about normal today. The forecast high is 64°, and a typical Oct 1 in Peterson peaks around 65°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Peterson feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Peterson 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° | 7° | 1.1" | 10.4" | 7 | 23 | 5° – 29° |
| February | 29° | 11° | 1.1" | 10.6" | 6 | 24 | 7° – 33° |
| March | 42° | 23° | 1.9" | 7.4" | 8 | 12 | 24° – 49° |
| April | 57° | 34° | 3.9" | 3.2" | 11 | 2 | 35° – 52° |
| May | 69° | 46° | 4.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 52° – 64° |
| June | 78° | 57° | 5.5" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| July | 81° | 61° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 65° – 77° |
| August | 79° | 58° | 4.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 64° – 75° |
| September | 72° | 50° | 3.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 54° – 67° |
| October | 59° | 38° | 2.8" | 0.3" | 10 | 0 | 42° – 54° |
| November | 43° | 26° | 1.9" | 2.8" | 7 | 3 | 25° – 46° |
| December | 29° | 15° | 1.4" | 10.1" | 7 | 18 | 8° – 32° |
| Year | 55° | 36° | 36.7" | 44.8" | 112 | 82 |
“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 Peterson
Peterson gets 37 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 112 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 82 days of the year.
About 147 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 8 and the first one by October 3. That leaves about 147 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 83% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Peterson
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Peterson, 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.
How Peterson 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 Peterson averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°). The shift is smaller than in 55% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Peterson’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 7° to 33°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Peterson’s climate
What is the coldest month in Peterson?
January, with a typical high of 24° and a low of 7°.
What is the hottest month in Peterson?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 61°. About 9 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Peterson get?
About 45 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Peterson?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 3, and the last spring frost by May 8.
What is the rainiest month in Peterson?
June, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 37 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Peterson itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Caledonia, MN (20 mi, snow) and Rushford, MN (4 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.