St. Paul, NE climate
St. Paul has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 22 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in St. Paul feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
St. Paul 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 | 35° | 14° | 0.6" | 4.7" | 4 | 11 | 17° – 37° |
| February | 39° | 17° | 0.7" | 6.2" | 5 | 10 | 17° – 37° |
| March | 52° | 27° | 1.5" | 3.0" | 6 | 4 | 31° – 52° |
| April | 62° | 37° | 2.8" | 1.8" | 9 | 1 | 42° – 55° |
| May | 72° | 48° | 4.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| June | 83° | 59° | 4.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| July | 87° | 63° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 69° – 81° |
| August | 84° | 62° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| September | 78° | 52° | 2.2" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| October | 65° | 39° | 2.1" | 0.4" | 7 | 0 | 44° – 56° |
| November | 50° | 26° | 1.2" | 2.2" | 4 | 2 | 28° – 45° |
| December | 37° | 17° | 0.8" | 4.1" | 4 | 9 | 17° – 32° |
| Year | 62° | 38° | 27.3" | 22.4" | 82 | 37 |
“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 St. Paul
St. Paul gets 27 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 82 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 37 days of the year.
About 172 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first one by October 14. That leaves about 172 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 58% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in St. Paul
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In St. Paul, 84% of that work is heating and 16% 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 St. Paul 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 St. Paul averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.7°). The shift is smaller than in 76% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at St. Paul’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 31° to 52°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about St. Paul’s climate
What is the coldest month in St. Paul?
January, with a typical high of 35° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in St. Paul?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 63°. About 40 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does St. Paul get?
About 22 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in St. Paul?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 14, and the last spring frost by April 23.
What is the rainiest month in St. Paul?
May, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 27 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for St. Paul itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Saint Paul, NE (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.