Big Stone Township sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for winter warmth
Sunny July days climb to about 83°. It is a dry place: less rain and snow fall here than on 87% of U.S. towns. The latest 30-year average runs 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000’s, with January up the most. Tender plants can go out after about May 1; in half of years the first frost comes by October 8.
A year in Big Stone Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Big Stone Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Big Stone Township’s place in Minnesota beside it.
What a year in Big Stone Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 159 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 1 and the first by October 8. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Artichoke Lake 1 E, MN, 14 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Big Stone Township’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −22°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 32 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Big Stone City 2 Nw, SD, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 25 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 78 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Big Stone Township
92% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Artichoke Lake 1 E, MN.
Living with Big Stone Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
159 frost-free days in zone 4b. The last frost comes by May 1 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 8.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 2.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 36% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Big Stone Township from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Big Stone Township and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Big Stone Township in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Big Stone Township’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Stone Township, MN | 3° | 83° | 25" | 32" |
| Jamestown, ND | 1° | 82° | 21" | 46" |
| Sheldon, IA | 7° | 84° | 30" | 41" |
| Menomonie, WI | 5° | 82° | 34" | 41" |
| Wayne, NE | 11° | 85° | 29" | 32" |
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 Big Stone Township averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.0°).
A smaller shift than in 60% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Big Stone Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Big Stone Township’s place among Minnesota’s.
Big Stone Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Big Stone Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Big Stone City 2 Nw, SD. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21° | 3° | 0.7" | 4.7" | 4 | −2° – 26° |
| February | 26° | 7° | 0.6" | 6.8" | 4 | 4° – 29° |
| March | 39° | 20° | 1.1" | 4.6" | 5 | 19° – 43° |
| April | 55° | 33° | 2.3" | 4.2" | 7 | 34° – 52° |
| May | 69° | 45° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 10 | 52° – 65° |
| June | 78° | 56° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 10 | 62° – 72° |
| July | 83° | 61° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 9 | 64° – 77° |
| August | 80° | 58° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 8 | 63° – 72° |
| September | 73° | 49° | 2.7" | 0.0" | 7 | 54° – 66° |
| October | 58° | 36° | 2.3" | 0.3" | 7 | 39° – 52° |
| November | 41° | 22° | 1.0" | 2.2" | 4 | 20° – 42° |
| December | 27° | 10° | 0.7" | 9.4" | 4 | 3° – 26° |
| Year | 54° | 33° | 25.2" | 32.2" | 78 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -2° to 26°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Big Stone Township’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Big Stone Township’s center.
- Snow: Big Stone City 2 Nw, SD.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Artichoke Lake 1 E, MN, 14 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Big Stone Township’s climate
What is the weather like in Big Stone Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 3°, and about 32 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than all but 104 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 76% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Big Stone Township in winter?
January nights average 3°. About 163 nights a year reach 32° or below and 37 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −2°.
How much snow does Big Stone Township get?
About 32 inches in a normal winter at Big Stone City 2 Nw, SD, most of it in December.
How hot does it get in Big Stone Township?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 61°. About 6 days a year reach 90° (Artichoke Lake 1 E, MN).
When is the first and last frost in Big Stone Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 1 and the first fall frost by October 8, about 159 frost-free days, at Artichoke Lake 1 E, MN.
What growing zone is Big Stone Township in?
Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −22°.
What is the best time of year to visit Big Stone Township?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Big Stone Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 60% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Big Stone Township.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.