Rice Lake, MN climate
Rice Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 1°, and about 90 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Rice Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Rice 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 | 19° | 1° | 1.0" | 16.8" | 10 | 31 | -4° – 23° |
| February | 24° | 4° | 0.9" | 15.1" | 9 | 28 | 4° – 29° |
| March | 36° | 15° | 1.4" | 12.8" | 10 | 27 | 17° – 38° |
| April | 49° | 27° | 2.4" | 9.1" | 11 | 10 | 31° – 45° |
| May | 62° | 38° | 3.2" | 0.8" | 13 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| June | 72° | 48° | 4.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 56° – 63° |
| July | 77° | 54° | 4.1" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 59° – 71° |
| August | 75° | 53° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| September | 66° | 45° | 3.3" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 48° – 60° |
| October | 52° | 33° | 3.0" | 2.7" | 12 | 2 | 36° – 47° |
| November | 36° | 21° | 1.8" | 14.1" | 11 | 13 | 19° – 38° |
| December | 23° | 8° | 1.3" | 18.7" | 11 | 27 | 3° – 25° |
| Year | 49° | 29° | 30.5" | 90.2" | 133 | 137 |
“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 Rice Lake
Rice Lake gets 30 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 133 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 137 days of the year.
About 140 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 13 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 140 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 89% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Rice Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Rice Lake, 97% of that work is heating and 3% 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.
Rice Lake and its neighbors
Rice Lake borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 5.8°. Gnesen has both the coldest January nights (-1°) and the hottest July afternoons (78°). Rice Lake’s January low is 1° and its July high 77°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Rice 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 Rice Lake averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.7°). The shift is larger than in 90% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Rice 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 -4° to 23°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Rice Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Rice Lake?
January, with a typical high of 19° and a low of 1°.
What is the hottest month in Rice Lake?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 54°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Rice Lake get?
About 90 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Rice Lake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 13.
What is the rainiest month in Rice Lake?
June, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 30 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Rice Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Duluth, MN (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.