How Cold Does it Get in Minnesota on Average?
As much as we’re known for our 10,000+ lakes, we’re also very well known for our long, cold, brutal winters that seem to go on forever.
Whether you’re planning a move here, are planning on visiting, or just have sympathy for us who live through those winters, you may be wondering, how cold does it get in Minnesota?
I’ve lived in Minnesota my entire life and lived through the past 20+ winters here, so I’ve got a strong grasp on the weather here. Between the snow, wind chill, and cold temperatures, we see some pretty cold weather!
In this post, I’ll share the average temperatures and what to expect from a Minnesota winter.
How Cold Does it Get in Minnesota?
The temperatures get very cold in Minnesota in the winter, so you’re definitely going to want to have some good layers and be prepared.
Winter here is characterized by cold weather and below-freezing temperatures, so you likely won’t see much over 32°F for 5-7 months.
The temps usually average out to around between 10°F and 32°F. Sometimes, we see temperatures as low as -40°F, although it doesn’t happen as often as some may think.
Remember to include the wind chill into your temperatures and check the ‘feels like,’ as this will show you cold it actually feels outside.
On top of the temperatures, you’ll also want to consider the snow, as we do get on average at least 30-40 inches per year.
If you’re going to be here in the winter, I can totally understand being concerned about the Minnesota weather, because we do have pretty intense winters.
Average Temperatures in Minnesota by Month
Below, I’ll list a bit more detail about the average weather during each month, so you can get a better idea of how cold it is in Minnesota.
Remember that the Minnesota weather varies greatly depending on where you are in the state, and this is an average for around the Twin Cities area.
November
This is usually the preview of winter in the Land of 10,000 Lakes and is when the temperatures start to drop and snow begins to fall.
The average temperature is about 35°F, with an average low of 28°F. They rarely get above 40°F and don’t often fall below 28°F, but it is possible to go either direction.
Typically, we get about 1-2 inches of snow in November, but I’ve seen years where we don’t see any snow until December!
December
The month of holiday festivities and spending time with family marks the official start of the winter season up north.
With an average low of about 15°F and an average high of about 30°F, we can definitely see that it does get pretty cold in Minnesota in December.
Snow also begins to fall more during this month, and we usually get a few pretty good dumpings, with an average of about 5-6 inches.
January
As the coldest month of the year, you’ll want to ensure that you’ve packed some warm clothes for a visit in January!
The temperatures typically fall somewhere between 10°F and 20°F. We also see many days below 0°F, and very low wind chills at times.
January also sees the most snow with an average of 5-7 inches, and sometimes more in more northern cities and areas.
February
This is the second coldest month during winter, with temperatures ranging from about 15°F to about 25°F.
Snowfall ranges from about 4-6 inches, with sometimes having less or more, depending on the area and year.
February is my least favorite month of the year because of how cold it is and because there isn’t a whole lot to do.
March
March is typically considered the official last month of winter, with spring break happening, but I sometimes consider April part of it as well.
You can expect to see temperatures around 25°F to 40°F, and sometimes warmer or colder. We also get around 3-5 inches of snow.
There is usually one last winter storm in this month that is unexpected and quite honestly, unwanted…
April
Some people consider April spring rather than winter, but I personally still call it part of winter because we do sometimes see snowfall.
It’s also still pretty cold at times and you might not want to put your winter jacket away quite yet. Temperatures average around 35°F to 55°F, which helps with melting the snow.
Unfortunately, I feel like we always have a winter storm in either March or April that turns it from the start of spring back to winter. But it’s always minimal and melts quickly.
What is the Coldest it Gets in Minnesota?
Minnesota can get pretty stinkin’ cold, and I’m not going to try to sugarcoat this question.
In my 22 years of living in Minnesota, the coldest that I’ve ever seen it get is around -50°F, including the wind chill. They canceled school that day, and we all celebrated.
Now keep in mind that this doesn’t happen often and when it does, literally everything shuts down and everyone stays home.
After all, it’s dangerous to go out when it’s that cold outside.
But typically, the coldest that it gets here is around -30°F to -40°F with the wind chill.
What is the Coldest Month in Minnesota?
The coldest month in Minnesota, and also the snowiest, is usually January, with an average temperature of around 15-20°F.
January hardly sees temperatures above 25°F and frequently falls below 0°F.
This can get very cold and can get pretty unbearable pretty quickly, which is why most of us Minnesotans are planning our beach vacations around this time.
How Much Snow Does Minnesota Get?
How much snow we get depends on the month as well as where in the state you’re located, because it can vary greatly.
According to the Minnesota DNR, we get an average of about 36 inches per year in the Twin Cities area and up to 70 inches along Lake Superior.
January sees the most snow with an average of about 5-7 inches of snowfall, with all other winter months falling behind little by little.
There are usually about 12-13 days every January when snow falls.
How Long is Winter in Minnesota?
Winters are very long here, and many people joke about winter being 9 out of the 12 months, although that isn’t quite true.
Typically, winters start to hit at the beginning of November, when we start to see some snowfall and temperatures dropping into the low 40s and high 30s.
Then winter continues into December, January, February, March, and April.
Usually, snow begins to melt beginning in April and into May, but there always seems to be an unfortunate late-April snowstorm.
So basically, winter usually lasts for about 5-7 months, so it is very important to be prepared for the cold!
FAQs
Fortunately, Minnesota is not the coldest state in the country, and both Alaska and North Dakota beat us.
Although we are rated the third coldest state in the United States!
While winters here are long and cold, we also have beautiful summers that shouldn’t be forgotten about! The average temperature during the summer is in the mid-80s and can sometimes creep up into the 90s.
The coldest that Minnesota has ever seen on record was on February 2nd, 1996 when the thermostat in Tower read -60°F. All public schools in the state were closed due to the cold!
As I mentioned above, Minnesota is actually not the coldest state. Alaska is first, North Dakota takes second place, and we come in at a whopping third place.
Wrap-Up: How Cold Does it Get in Minnesota?
No matter what you’re coming to this great northern state for, you’re going to want to be prepared for our cold weather.
So asking yourself the question, how cold does it get in Minnesota, is a good idea, so you aren’t shocked by the snowfall and temperatures.
Now that you know the temperatures, it’s time to start planning out some amazing winter adventures around Minnesota to keep you busy!
Read More About Minnesota Winters:
- How to Prepare for a Minnesota Winter
- How Cold Does it Get in Minnesota
- Does it Snow in Minnesota?
- What Are Winters Like in Minnesota?
- When Does it Start Snowing in Minnesota
- When is the Best Time to Visit Minnesota?
- What to Pack for a Trip to Minnesota
- 15 Things to Do in Duluth This Winter
- 13 Fun Winter Activities on the North Shore, MN
- 21 Fun Winter Activities in the Twin Cities
