Swan River, MN climate
Swan River has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 2°, and about 51 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Swan River feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Swan River 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20° | 2° | 0.7" | 11.2" | 6 | -2° – 25° |
| February | 26° | 6° | 0.8" | 8.5" | 6 | 5° – 29° |
| March | 39° | 20° | 1.4" | 8.5" | 6 | 20° – 43° |
| April | 54° | 32° | 2.4" | 5.0" | 9 | 33° – 52° |
| May | 67° | 45° | 3.4" | 0 | 10 | 51° – 62° |
| June | 77° | 55° | 4.5" | 0 | 12 | 62° – 70° |
| July | 81° | 60° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 63° – 76° |
| August | 79° | 57° | 3.6" | 0 | 7 | 62° – 72° |
| September | 70° | 49° | 2.9" | 0 | 7 | 53° – 65° |
| October | 56° | 37° | 2.7" | 1.1" | 7 | 38° – 51° |
| November | 39° | 23° | 1.3" | 9.0" | 6 | 22° – 42° |
| December | 25° | 10° | 0.9" | 7.4" | 6 | 3° – 26° |
| Year | 53° | 33° | 28.8" | 50.7" | 93 |
“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 Swan River
Swan River gets 29 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 93 days a year.
About 151 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 4 and the first one by October 5. That leaves about 151 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 80% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Swan River
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Swan River, 92% of that work is heating and 8% 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.
Swan River and its neighbors
Swan River borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.5°. Pike Creek has the coldest January nights (2°) and Two Rivers the hottest July afternoons (81°). Swan River’s January low is 2° and its July high 81°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Swan River 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 Swan River averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.6°). The shift is larger than in 84% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Swan River’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 8°.
Common questions about Swan River’s climate
What is the coldest month in Swan River?
January, with a typical high of 20° and a low of 2°.
What is the hottest month in Swan River?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 60°. About 14 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Swan River get?
About 51 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Swan River?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 5, and the last spring frost by May 4.
What is the rainiest month in Swan River?
June, with 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 29 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Swan River itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Royalton 5w, MN (5 mi, snow) and Little Falls 2nne, MN (10 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.