Minnesota annual temperatures and extremes

Hottest temperature ever recorded: 114 F, Moorhead, western Minnesota, 7/6/1936

Coldest temperature ever recorded: -60 F, Tower, northeast Minnesota, 2/2/1996

Hottest location ranked by highest average annual temperature: Winona, southeast Minnesota, 46.9 F

Coldest location ranked by lowest average annual temperature: Tower, northeast Minnesota, 36.0 F

On January 10, 1989, clear skies, light winds, and up to 24 inches of snow cover allowed the 
temperature to plunge to 45 degrees below zero at Roseau MN, and to -43 degrees at Warroad, MN

During March 1948, the temperature range in Minneapolis / St Paul of –27 F to 70 F produced a 97 F
spread, the highest ever for a single calendar month.

Between January 1st through January 12th, 1911, the temperature in Minneapolis-St. Paul never rose above
0 F degrees.

On December 26, 1992 - For 350 straight hours (two weeks) starting on this date, the sky observation was
listed as cloudy in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Even though the clouds were abundant, temperatures were mild 
with readings running nineteen degrees above normal.

Minnesota has a continental-type climate and is subject to frequent outbreaks of continental polar air throughout the year, with occasional Arctic outbreaks during the cold season. Occasional periods of prolonged heat occur during summer, particularly in the southern portion of Minnesota, when warm air pushes northward from the Gulf of Mexico and the southwestern United States. Pacific Ocean air masses that move across the Western United States produce comparatively mild and dry weather at all seasons.

Mean annual temperatures range from 36 degrees Fahrenheit (° F) in the extreme north to 49 degrees along the Mississippi River in the southeast. State temperature extremes range from -60 to 114° F.

Monthly mean temperatures vary from 85 in the southwest to -11° F in the northwest. Mean temperatures during January in the northern portions of the State average near 4° F; this is 10 degrees colder than temperatures recorded at stations near Lake Superior and in southern Minnesota.

The mean temperature in July for the State averages about 70° F in most places but this is five to 10 degrees warmer than at stations near Lake Superior. Thus, Lake Superior stations are cool in summer and relatively warm in winter.

City	Avg High Temp	Avg Low Temp	Avg Annual Temp	Avg # days > 90F	Avg # days < 32F	Record High Temp	Record Low Temp
Duluth	48.1	29.3	38.7	2	185	97 / 1988	-39 / 1972
International Falls	48.1	26.1	37.1	4	199	99 / 1985	-46 / 1968
Minneapolis - St Paul	54.2	36.0	45.1	15	153	108 / 1936	-34 / 1936
Rochester	53.7	34.2	44.0	8	163	102 / 1976	-40 / 1951
St Cloud	52.9	31.3	42.1	10	177	102 / 1949	-49 / 1977
Minnesota annual average temperature - 41.16 degrees, 47th warmest state in the U.S. Record Hottest year in Minnesota - 1931 / Avg temperature 45.81 degrees Record Coldest year in Minnesota - 1917 / Avg temperature 36.52 degrees Minnesota average Summer temperature (June, July, August) 66.8 F degrees, 36th warmest U.S. summer state Minnesota average Winter temperature (December, January, February) 12.4 F degrees, 3rd coldest U.S. winter state