The Lakes has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 6°, and about 49 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in The Lakes at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about The Lakes’s climate
Read from where The Lakes sits among Minnesota’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
About 156 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first by October 5.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
What a year in The Lakes feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
49 inches of snow, 30 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 87 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Living with The Lakes’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
156 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 2 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 5.
About 49" a winter over 15 days with an inch or more, most in December. Snow covers the ground about 91 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 93% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 12 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 82°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 9.9 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →The Lakes and its neighbors
Lake Sarah has the coldest January nights next door (6°) and Shetek the hottest July afternoons (82°). 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.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in The Lakes averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.2°).
A smaller shift than in 59% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How The Lakes compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Minnesota.
The Lakes 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 | 23° | 6° | 0.7" | 8.4" | 4 | 26 | 3° – 27° |
| February | 27° | 10° | 0.8" | 8.4" | 4 | 20 | 6° – 31° |
| March | 40° | 22° | 1.5" | 8.5" | 5 | 16 | 21° – 46° |
| April | 55° | 33° | 2.9" | 6.1" | 9 | 3 | 32° – 53° |
| May | 68° | 46° | 4.0" | 0.4" | 12 | 0 | 52° – 64° |
| June | 79° | 57° | 4.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| July | 82° | 60° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 64° – 78° |
| August | 80° | 58° | 3.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| September | 73° | 49° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| October | 58° | 37° | 2.3" | 1.0" | 7 | 1 | 40° – 53° |
| November | 41° | 23° | 1.3" | 5.9" | 4 | 7 | 22° – 45° |
| December | 28° | 12° | 0.9" | 10.6" | 4 | 19 | 6° – 27° |
| Year | 55° | 34° | 29.8" | 49.3" | 87 | 91 |
Heating and cooling a home in The Lakes
93% 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. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 6° to 31°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about The Lakes’s climate
What is the coldest month in The Lakes?
January, with a typical high of 23° and a low of 6°.
What is the hottest month in The Lakes?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 60°. About 12 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does The Lakes get?
About 49 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in The Lakes?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 5, and the last spring frost by May 2.
What is the rainiest month in The Lakes?
June, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 30 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in The Lakes.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for The Lakes itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Tracy, MN (10 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.