Few U.S. towns have colder winter nights than Climax
Sunny July days climb to about 81°. The wettest month is June; the driest is February. By precipitation alone, it ranks drier than 88% of U.S. towns. Picnics, hikes and garden evenings come into their own from May to September, with highs of 68–81°.
A year in Climax at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Climax’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Climax’s place in Minnesota beside it.
What a year in Climax feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 138 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 11 and the first by September 27. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Crookston Nw Exp Stn, MN, 17 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Climax’s center in zone 4a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −28°. 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 23 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Climax
96% 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 Crookston Nw Exp Stn, MN.
Living with Climax’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
138 frost-free days in zone 4a. The last frost comes by May 11 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 27.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Climax from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (54%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 26%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Climax and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Climax yet.
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Climax averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.1°).
A bigger shift than in 52% 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 Climax compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Climax’s place among Minnesota’s.
Climax weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Climax’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16° | −1° | 0.6" | −6° – 23° |
| February | 21° | 3° | 0.5" | −1° – 27° |
| March | 35° | 17° | 1.0" | 17° – 40° |
| April | 53° | 31° | 1.3" | 32° – 51° |
| May | 68° | 43° | 2.8" | 49° – 62° |
| June | 77° | 55° | 4.1" | 61° – 71° |
| July | 81° | 59° | 3.5" | 63° – 75° |
| August | 80° | 56° | 2.8" | 61° – 72° |
| September | 71° | 47° | 2.7" | 53° – 65° |
| October | 55° | 35° | 2.1" | 37° – 51° |
| November | 36° | 20° | 0.8" | 16° – 41° |
| December | 22° | 7° | 0.7" | 1° – 24° |
| Year | 51° | 31° | 22.9" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -6° to 23°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Climax’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 Climax’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Crookston Nw Exp Stn, MN, 17 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 Climax’s climate
What is the weather like in Climax?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to −1°. Colder January nights than all but 36 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 88% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Climax in winter?
January nights average −1°. About 186 nights a year reach 32° or below and 54 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −6°.
How hot does it get in Climax?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 59°. About 7 days a year reach 90° (Crookston Nw Exp Stn, MN).
When is the first and last frost in Climax?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 11 and the first fall frost by September 27, about 138 frost-free days, at Crookston Nw Exp Stn, MN.
What growing zone is Climax in?
Zone 4a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −28°.
What is the best time of year to visit Climax?
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 Climax getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 52% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Climax.
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.