Vermilion Lake, MN climate
Vermilion Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to -5°, and about 69 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Vermilion Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Vermilion 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16° | -5° | 0.9" | 13.4" | 7 | -6° – 20° |
| February | 23° | -1° | 0.8" | 10.8" | 7 | -2° – 28° |
| March | 37° | 12° | 1.0" | 7.9" | 6 | 13° – 38° |
| April | 51° | 26° | 1.9" | 8.0" | 8 | 30° – 46° |
| May | 65° | 38° | 3.0" | 0.4" | 12 | 46° – 57° |
| June | 74° | 48° | 4.1" | 0 | 13 | 56° – 67° |
| July | 78° | 53° | 4.1" | 0 | 13 | 59° – 70° |
| August | 76° | 51° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 58° – 67° |
| September | 67° | 44° | 3.5" | 0 | 12 | 48° – 61° |
| October | 52° | 32° | 2.7" | 2.4" | 10 | 34° – 46° |
| November | 35° | 19° | 1.6" | 11.0" | 9 | 16° – 37° |
| December | 22° | 4° | 1.1" | 14.8" | 8 | -2° – 23° |
| Year | 50° | 27° | 27.8" | 68.7" | 116 |
“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 Vermilion Lake
Vermilion Lake gets 28 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 116 days a year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Vermilion Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Vermilion Lake, 98% of that work is heating and 2% 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.
Vermilion Lake and its neighbors
Vermilion Lake borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.4°. Greenwood has both the coldest January nights (-5°) and the hottest July afternoons (78°). Vermilion Lake’s January low is -5° and its July high 78°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Vermilion 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 Vermilion Lake averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.0°). The shift is larger than in 95% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Vermilion Lake’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 -2° to 28°. August is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Vermilion Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Vermilion Lake?
January, with a typical high of 16° and a low of -5°.
What is the hottest month in Vermilion Lake?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 53°. About 4 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Vermilion Lake get?
About 69 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Vermilion Lake?
Frost is uncommon. Only 100% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Vermilion Lake?
July, with 4.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 28 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Vermilion Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Tower 2s, MN (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.